Learning is fundamentally social.
The relationship between children and their teachers isn't incidental, but rather is the central component of their learning.
Human development occurs within the context of real relationships.
We learn from whom we love.
- Lev S. Vygotsky
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Foyota? Ford and Toyota are talking…
It could be nothing or it could be something, but Ford confirmed today that it’s CEO Alan Mulally met with Toyota Chairman Fujio Cho last week in Japan. Analysts speculate the meeting is to discuss potential partnerships for developing environmentally friendly vehicles an for Ford in particular to understand Toyota’s operational efficiencies. While a Ford spokesperson declined to comment, a Toyota representative indicated the meeting was simply a get acquainted meeting, something Toyota executives do often with their competitors.
Analysts said it was less clear what Toyota would gain through any partnership with Ford, given its run of recent sales success and its lead in areas such as hybrid technology.
Toyota is poised to overtake General Motors Corp. as the world’s largest automaker in terms of production next year, and many analysts expect it will also unseat Ford as No. 2 in the U.S. market as soon as next year.
While Toyota’s U.S. sales have jumped almost 13 percent this year, Ford’s sales have fallen almost 8 percent, according to monthly sales data.
Full Story on Washington Post.
Analysts said it was less clear what Toyota would gain through any partnership with Ford, given its run of recent sales success and its lead in areas such as hybrid technology.
Toyota is poised to overtake General Motors Corp. as the world’s largest automaker in terms of production next year, and many analysts expect it will also unseat Ford as No. 2 in the U.S. market as soon as next year.
While Toyota’s U.S. sales have jumped almost 13 percent this year, Ford’s sales have fallen almost 8 percent, according to monthly sales data.
Full Story on Washington Post.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Live life fully
“Time is life. It is irreversible and irreplaceable. To waste your time is to waste your life, but to master your time is to master your life and make the most of it.” -- Alan Lakein
Refuse to feel USED by life! Make full use of it instead. To do this, we initially need to take control of the time of our lives. Time management is life management, from the inside out. It’s an INSIDE job. You already have everything you need. You have the power to create a life of meaning, fulfilment and joy.
Your challenge is to find what works for you! Review the literature but make your own decisions. To do this, you’ll need to:
Get to know yourself -- your desires and passions, rhythms, styles, challenges, needs and habits.
Be aware that you always have choice. Claim your independence and power to choose what is right for your life, moment by moment.
“Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.” -- M. Scott Peck
Refuse to feel USED by life! Make full use of it instead. To do this, we initially need to take control of the time of our lives. Time management is life management, from the inside out. It’s an INSIDE job. You already have everything you need. You have the power to create a life of meaning, fulfilment and joy.
Your challenge is to find what works for you! Review the literature but make your own decisions. To do this, you’ll need to:
Get to know yourself -- your desires and passions, rhythms, styles, challenges, needs and habits.
Be aware that you always have choice. Claim your independence and power to choose what is right for your life, moment by moment.
“Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.” -- M. Scott Peck
Can Coal Provide a Safe and Eco-friendly Fuel to Run Our Cars?
Whenever we talk of coal the thing that strikes the mind is a black and dirty piece that can give nothing except some heat when burnt and huge amount of dirty gases.
But coal can also be used to power our cars…? No I am not kidding and the technology is also not new, it dates back to 1920’s.
Some fuel experts are thinking of powering cars with coal…! No, not the dirty black piece of rock but a much cleaner and safer ‘Liquid Coal’.
This technology is nothing new and was first developed by German Scientists in the 1920s and helped power the Nazi war machine. But the technology was abandoned as it proved to be more expensive than the other sources of energy such as gasoline and crude oil.
But after many years of using gasoline to power the cars the reserves are about to go extinct and the researchers are starting to look for some new alternatives. And the thing that has struck their mind is the use of a technique called CTL or coal-to-liquid.
In total the liquid coal production is expected to rise from 150,000 barrels a day today to 600,000 barrels in 2020 and 1.8 million barrels in 2030.
Many countries are blindly investing in the trade with China topping the list by investing $25 Billion in the liquid-coal pipeline.
Sasol, a renowned company in South Africa is also building two new CTL Plants each with a price tag of $6 Billion. Americans are also considering the future of such plants and are offering loan guarantee and tax incentives for CTL Plants.
These plants can be a success as the countries needing the most energy such as India, China and United States have the biggest coal reserves in their nations. With the biggest coal reserves, United States can power their country for more than a century with liquid coal and that figure is closely followed up by other countries like India and China.
Moreover powering a car with liquid coal will be more than 30% cleaner and cheaper than using gasoline.
So we can say that our old King Coal is coming back in a few years with some liquefied makeup…!
Via: msnbc
Friday, December 29, 2006
Quotable quotes
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." --Charles Darwin, English naturalist
Ford and Microsoft Team Plans to Provide Blue&Me in Cars
Ford and Microsoft have recently collaborated to provide a new car computing solution, which sounds to be quiet interesting. The system known to be Blue&Me, will consist of a personal computer fitted to your car that will be of great help to the driver. Along with GPS control, weather and traffic-monitoring systems, the driver will also be able to use this computer to access the text messages received on their mobile phones. The Windows Automotive technology allows drivers to access their phones through the car’s stereo system, to use voice commands and steering wheel-mounted controls to control the audio.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
STRATEGIES TO ESTABLISH SHARED AGREEMENTS
Shared agreements promote a common understanding of collective action and individual responsibility. They outline policies and procedures for "getting the job done" and help to ease any anxiety teachers may have about leading. To create shared agreements simply address the 5Ws and 1H.
Who. Establish who is responsible for getting something done. That includes the team and individuals. (From the scenario presented at the start of this article where the staff decided to "focus our professional development time on reading strategies," the team is responsible for planning school improvement efforts, the team creates the agenda, and each member comes prepared to share ideas for the professional development day.)
What. Be specific about what needs to be done. It is helpful to specify tasks to be accomplished as well as actions to be taken. (From the scenario: Plan a method to illustrate to teachers what the data show about how students are performing in reading.)
When. Everyone must be aware of deadlines. Outline when and how often a task needs to be done. (From the scenario: Teachers will implement the reading strategies every day beginning tomorrow.)
Where. Consider different environments. For example, what will happen in the classroom? At the district office? (From the scenario: In the classroom, teachers will practice using the reading strategies.)
Why. Establish a sense of purpose for activities. (From the scenario: Understanding the importance of the "reasons to celebrate" ritual may help teachers actively participate.)
How. Ensure that everyone knows in what ways the job will get done. (From the scenario: At times the principal seemed to be the only active participant. The team could agree that everyone participates as equals.)
Even when a school has a vision of shared leadership, teachers may continue to depend too much on the principal. For a variety of reasons teachers may, at times, disengage from leadership activities. Creating shared agreements that specify collective action and individual responsibility is a powerful way to engage teacher leaders.
Who. Establish who is responsible for getting something done. That includes the team and individuals. (From the scenario presented at the start of this article where the staff decided to "focus our professional development time on reading strategies," the team is responsible for planning school improvement efforts, the team creates the agenda, and each member comes prepared to share ideas for the professional development day.)
What. Be specific about what needs to be done. It is helpful to specify tasks to be accomplished as well as actions to be taken. (From the scenario: Plan a method to illustrate to teachers what the data show about how students are performing in reading.)
When. Everyone must be aware of deadlines. Outline when and how often a task needs to be done. (From the scenario: Teachers will implement the reading strategies every day beginning tomorrow.)
Where. Consider different environments. For example, what will happen in the classroom? At the district office? (From the scenario: In the classroom, teachers will practice using the reading strategies.)
Why. Establish a sense of purpose for activities. (From the scenario: Understanding the importance of the "reasons to celebrate" ritual may help teachers actively participate.)
How. Ensure that everyone knows in what ways the job will get done. (From the scenario: At times the principal seemed to be the only active participant. The team could agree that everyone participates as equals.)
Even when a school has a vision of shared leadership, teachers may continue to depend too much on the principal. For a variety of reasons teachers may, at times, disengage from leadership activities. Creating shared agreements that specify collective action and individual responsibility is a powerful way to engage teacher leaders.
Hennessey turbo-tunes the Ford GT
Hennessey Performance seems to have a knack for producing modified supercars that are as intoxicating as its namesake Cognac. Hennessey specializes in top-level American muscle, having earned its street cred by strapping twin turbochargers to the Dodge Viper to crank power up to 1000 horsepower. Now Hennessey has turned its attention over to the Viper's main rival in the battle for American supercar dominance: the Ford GT.
The Ford GT was, of course, created as rolling homage to the Le Mans-winning GT40 of yore, and the modern retro-mobile lives up to the legend by challenging Ferraris just as it did in the sixties. But cavallino-trouncing performance just wasn't enough to John Hennessey and his crew, so they went to work.
Two Garret turbochargers, an intercooler, a new exhaust system, a custom intake manifold, a revised engine management system and a whole slew of other modifications later, the Hennessey Ford GT Twin Turbo puts out Koenigsegg-like levels of power: 850 horsepower and a matching 850 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to propel the throwback sportscar to sixty in a claimed 2.6 seconds, covering the quarter-mile in 10.6 seconds on its way to a very Veyron-like top speed of 240 mph.
The price, of course, is not specified, but for that kind of performance, if you have to ask...
But for a customer bent on American domination of even the performance supercar world, price is no object.
[Source: Hennessey via Autoblog.com]
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
What Do I Do When Teachers Depend Too Much on Me for Leadership?
by Evelyn Cortez-Ford
A group of teachers and the principal assemble for their weekly School Leadership Team meeting to plan for an upcoming professional development day focused on reading strategies. The principal begins by handing out the agenda, which includes outcomes, times, and tasks. As is customary, the team starts with "reasons to celebrate" -- a ritual the principal embedded into the meetings in hopes of inspiring participation and pride. Surprisingly, nobody seems ready to share, so the principal takes a turn by saying... "
Our staff has become more data savvy. Our decision to focus our professional development time on reading strategies came straight from the data." After everyone has a chance to share their reasons to celebrate, the principal proceeds with the agenda by taking input and guidance from teachers. After the meeting, the principal feels that teachers weren't fully participating as leaders. Instead, teachers were depending too much on her for leadership. She wonders why and what can be done about it.
SIGNS TEACHERS ARE DISENGAGED FROM LEADERSHIP
When teachers and principals share leadership they are charting a new course. As a community of leaders it can be difficult to know how to proceed. By default everyone falls into old ways of working. Signs that teachers depend too much on the principal for leadership include:
Teachers defer to the principal to make decisions.
Teachers wait to hear the principal's opinion before voicing their own.
Teachers seem stuck in inaction.
Teachers aren't exercising their authority.
Principals should be aware of shifts in participation and attitudes. Once aware they must understand the possible causes.
REASONS TEACHERS DISENGAGE FROM LEADERSHIP
It is not unusual from time to time for teachers to disengage from leadership activities. In fact, until teacher leadership becomes common practice in schools, disengagement is likely. Below are common reasons teachers disengage from leadership.
Traditional ideas of leadership. Teachers' active resistance to leadership may be due to traditional notions of leadership that don't fit well with the culture of teaching. They may view a leader as the lone person "in charge," someone who is the "boss" or "supervisor." Ideas that leaders need an authoritarian, command-and-control personality may cause teachers to reject leadership.
Lack of trust. Teacher leadership requires that both teachers and principals develop new ways of working based on trust. Trusting relationships are marked by open and honest communication, commitment to follow through, and fairness. If teachers don't trust that their leadership efforts will be valued, they will not participate.
Role confusion. When teachers become leaders they must straddle the line between teaching and leading activities. Striking a balance between responsibilities can be difficult, and teachers may fall back on their teacher-only role. Teachers may depend too much on the principal for leadership for a variety of reasons. Fortunately principals can inspire full teacher-leader participation by establishing shared agreements.
A group of teachers and the principal assemble for their weekly School Leadership Team meeting to plan for an upcoming professional development day focused on reading strategies. The principal begins by handing out the agenda, which includes outcomes, times, and tasks. As is customary, the team starts with "reasons to celebrate" -- a ritual the principal embedded into the meetings in hopes of inspiring participation and pride. Surprisingly, nobody seems ready to share, so the principal takes a turn by saying... "
Our staff has become more data savvy. Our decision to focus our professional development time on reading strategies came straight from the data." After everyone has a chance to share their reasons to celebrate, the principal proceeds with the agenda by taking input and guidance from teachers. After the meeting, the principal feels that teachers weren't fully participating as leaders. Instead, teachers were depending too much on her for leadership. She wonders why and what can be done about it.
SIGNS TEACHERS ARE DISENGAGED FROM LEADERSHIP
When teachers and principals share leadership they are charting a new course. As a community of leaders it can be difficult to know how to proceed. By default everyone falls into old ways of working. Signs that teachers depend too much on the principal for leadership include:
Teachers defer to the principal to make decisions.
Teachers wait to hear the principal's opinion before voicing their own.
Teachers seem stuck in inaction.
Teachers aren't exercising their authority.
Principals should be aware of shifts in participation and attitudes. Once aware they must understand the possible causes.
REASONS TEACHERS DISENGAGE FROM LEADERSHIP
It is not unusual from time to time for teachers to disengage from leadership activities. In fact, until teacher leadership becomes common practice in schools, disengagement is likely. Below are common reasons teachers disengage from leadership.
Traditional ideas of leadership. Teachers' active resistance to leadership may be due to traditional notions of leadership that don't fit well with the culture of teaching. They may view a leader as the lone person "in charge," someone who is the "boss" or "supervisor." Ideas that leaders need an authoritarian, command-and-control personality may cause teachers to reject leadership.
Lack of trust. Teacher leadership requires that both teachers and principals develop new ways of working based on trust. Trusting relationships are marked by open and honest communication, commitment to follow through, and fairness. If teachers don't trust that their leadership efforts will be valued, they will not participate.
Role confusion. When teachers become leaders they must straddle the line between teaching and leading activities. Striking a balance between responsibilities can be difficult, and teachers may fall back on their teacher-only role. Teachers may depend too much on the principal for leadership for a variety of reasons. Fortunately principals can inspire full teacher-leader participation by establishing shared agreements.
Top 10 Cars of 2006 Rated by HOT ROD
HOT ROD is a famous magazine that provides you with the cars information, facts and a good collection of pictures. Like earlier years, the magazine has put up a list of some special cars rated as top ten according to the staff of the magazine. Jay brown’s 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 has earned a place in the list. The car has been marked for its muscular looks and performance. The car has very stylish looks.
Wayne and Bob Julian’s 1965 Ford Mustang: this car has all the modern amenities with but performance of a body of a ‘65 Mustang combined with ‘03 Cobra needs no explanation at all.
Holman-Moody 1964 Ford Fairlane is a car recreated from an H-M car model that was built for NASCAR testing. This car is perfect to be referred as a vintage racecar that has good looks and performance.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Quotable quotes
"If the heavens were all parchment, and the trees of the forest all pens, and every human being were a scribe, it would be impossible to record all that I have learned from my teachers." Jock Zakkai
Gale Banks Upgrades Leno’s Tank Car to Double the Fuel Efficiency
This is some thing monstrous. I have never seen a car this big with a wheelbase of more than 15 ft. This is not some thing kept in museum but is driven by Leno the owner of this car. The car weighs 10,000 pounds and is powered by a 30-liter V12 — each of those 12 cylinders is bigger than a four-cylinder Toyota engine.
This is really big and I can’t just imagine how much power it could generate but still the greed of more never dies so Leno’s decided to up the performance and the fuel economy an handed the engine over to his friend a high-performance tuner Gale Banks .
Gale and his team spent 1500 hours to upgrade the engine and have now successfully turned it into a turbocharged engine using Bosch electronic fuel-injection control unit based on the company’s MS 2.9 system for Formula One race cars, two serious 91mm magnesium Garrett turbochargers, and some good looking metal caps to give the car a better appearance. All these modification doubled the fuel economy from 3 mpg to nearly 6.
This car has a top speed of 145mph, I am sure owning, and driving a tank car is enough to get noticed anywhere.
Via: popularmechanics
Monday, December 25, 2006
"Gold Wrapping Paper"
The story goes that some time ago a mother punished her five year old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and she became even more upset when the child used the gold paper to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.
Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her mother the next morning and then said, "This is for you, Mumma."
The mother was embarrassed by her earlier over reaction, but her anger flared again when she opened the box and found it was empty. She spoke to her daughter in a harsh manner. "Don't you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside the package?"
She had tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Mumma, it's not empty! I blew kisses into it until it was full." The mother was crushed. She fell on her knees and put her arms around her little girl, and she begged her forgiveness for her thoughtless anger.
An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is told that the mother kept that gold box by her bed for all the years of her life. Whenever she was discouraged or faced difficult problems she would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, have been given a Golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and GOD. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.
Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her mother the next morning and then said, "This is for you, Mumma."
The mother was embarrassed by her earlier over reaction, but her anger flared again when she opened the box and found it was empty. She spoke to her daughter in a harsh manner. "Don't you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something inside the package?"
She had tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Mumma, it's not empty! I blew kisses into it until it was full." The mother was crushed. She fell on her knees and put her arms around her little girl, and she begged her forgiveness for her thoughtless anger.
An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is told that the mother kept that gold box by her bed for all the years of her life. Whenever she was discouraged or faced difficult problems she would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, have been given a Golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and GOD. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.
Merry Christmas to all
Have a merry Ford Christmas!
May your gifts be performance oriented, value adding, aesthetically pleasing and include the blue oval!
Cheers
May your gifts be performance oriented, value adding, aesthetically pleasing and include the blue oval!
Cheers
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Merry Christmas in Languages Across the World
by Elizabeth Vanderwater, Ontario, Canada
I am an eclectic collector. One of my most prized collections, which continues to grow each year, is that of my collection of “Merry Christmas” in different languages throughout the world. I started collecting these about six years ago when a number of my students had roots from different countries, namely Greece and Hungary. So, in addition to the French, German, Italian and English languages with which I was familiar, I now had the spelling and expressions for “Merry Christmas” for Greece and Hungary. About two years ago, I added Merry Christmas in the languages spoken in Bulgaria and Macedonia, as one of my students had roots in those countries. This most recent Christmas was an incredible year!
To coincide with my Traveling Teddy Bears project, I created a bulletin board that had twenty-three teddy bears (paper), each holding a flag from a different country. These bears were placed around a map of the world that had pin-pointed destinations that our bears had traveled to (we had received postcards from these destinations). Included, with each of the flags were the words, “Merry Christmas” in the language spoken from that country. This year I was able to add: Yugoslavia and Ireland (we have two staff members who have roots there), Belgium (one of the teddy bears was reported to be in Belgium), United Kingdom and England (one of my students had stated having had roots in England), Japan and South Korea, Spain, Denmark, Netherlands, and Afghanistan (one of my students has roots there).
What I noticed about the students as they arrived each day, was that they would approach the bulletin board and look for the most recent addition of flags and “Merry Christmas” in the language spoken in that country. Also, during the day when they had completed their work, they would often be seen drawing and colouring one of the flags from the bulletin board.
Additionally, over the course of a week, the students practiced saying, “Merry Christmas” in a language of their choice. In total, there were twenty-three different flags, with sixteen different languages spoken. Students presented, “Merry Christmas” in these languages to our Principal and Vice-Principal. It was incredible the enthusiasm I received from the students to speak those wonderful words! There were many volunteers to speak even the most difficult of these languages.
My Grade 3s ended off their school year with: singing “Silent Night” in two languages: English (one verse) and German (one verse), “O Christmas Tree” in three languages: English (one verse), French (one verse) and German (one verse); and finally presenting their wishes of “Merry Christmas” from different countries to the student body during two of our caroling assemblies. They were so proud!
What I experienced from the students was a sense of wonder and excitement about the world, the different countries, their flags and the different languages that they were able to hear and speak. This Christmas we were able to enjoy some of the world’s diversity without having left the classroom. I feel that my students will take these memories with them, wherever they go…
I am an eclectic collector. One of my most prized collections, which continues to grow each year, is that of my collection of “Merry Christmas” in different languages throughout the world. I started collecting these about six years ago when a number of my students had roots from different countries, namely Greece and Hungary. So, in addition to the French, German, Italian and English languages with which I was familiar, I now had the spelling and expressions for “Merry Christmas” for Greece and Hungary. About two years ago, I added Merry Christmas in the languages spoken in Bulgaria and Macedonia, as one of my students had roots in those countries. This most recent Christmas was an incredible year!
To coincide with my Traveling Teddy Bears project, I created a bulletin board that had twenty-three teddy bears (paper), each holding a flag from a different country. These bears were placed around a map of the world that had pin-pointed destinations that our bears had traveled to (we had received postcards from these destinations). Included, with each of the flags were the words, “Merry Christmas” in the language spoken from that country. This year I was able to add: Yugoslavia and Ireland (we have two staff members who have roots there), Belgium (one of the teddy bears was reported to be in Belgium), United Kingdom and England (one of my students had stated having had roots in England), Japan and South Korea, Spain, Denmark, Netherlands, and Afghanistan (one of my students has roots there).
What I noticed about the students as they arrived each day, was that they would approach the bulletin board and look for the most recent addition of flags and “Merry Christmas” in the language spoken in that country. Also, during the day when they had completed their work, they would often be seen drawing and colouring one of the flags from the bulletin board.
Additionally, over the course of a week, the students practiced saying, “Merry Christmas” in a language of their choice. In total, there were twenty-three different flags, with sixteen different languages spoken. Students presented, “Merry Christmas” in these languages to our Principal and Vice-Principal. It was incredible the enthusiasm I received from the students to speak those wonderful words! There were many volunteers to speak even the most difficult of these languages.
My Grade 3s ended off their school year with: singing “Silent Night” in two languages: English (one verse) and German (one verse), “O Christmas Tree” in three languages: English (one verse), French (one verse) and German (one verse); and finally presenting their wishes of “Merry Christmas” from different countries to the student body during two of our caroling assemblies. They were so proud!
What I experienced from the students was a sense of wonder and excitement about the world, the different countries, their flags and the different languages that they were able to hear and speak. This Christmas we were able to enjoy some of the world’s diversity without having left the classroom. I feel that my students will take these memories with them, wherever they go…
It's the Gift, Not the Wrapping
By Jeff Westover
It began as a simple, thoughtful gift. Back in 1964, Larry Kunkel's mother thought he'd appreciate a nice new pair of moleskin pants. He didn't. Living in Minnesota, the pants were prone to stiffness in the freezing weather of the winter months. So Larry pawned the pants off on his brother-in-law, Roy Collett, as a gift the very next Christmas. But Roy didn't care for them either. So he returned the favour and the pants the following Christmas.
And thus the game began. Each year, as Christmas approached, Larry and Roy contemplated those pants. For the giver, there was delight in knowing that possession of the pants would no longer be theirs for at least a year. For the receiver, it meant another Christmas morning of knowing exactly what one of the wrapped presents beneath the tree would contain. One year, as Roy looked forward to his turn as the giver, he took their merry game to a new level by tightly twisting the pants into a "wrapping" of a 3-foot-long, 1-inch-wide galvanized pipe. Perhaps Roy was merely trying to trick Larry into thinking that he was getting something new, for a change. Or perhaps he was merely hoping to end the gag once and for all by making the pants impossible to give again. We may never know Roy's intentions. But we do know what happened as a result.
The next Christmas morning, Larry surely giggled at the picture of Roy struggling to untangle a 7-inch square bale of wire, in which resided the infamous and unwanted pants. With a credit now to both of them in demonstrating ingenuity in the annual exchange of the gift, the stage was now set for their legendary yuletide gift-giving exploits to grow more and more ridiculous with each passing season. They did not disappoint.
There were, however, some ground rules. They agreed, for example, that the pants could not be damaged in their packaging or delivery. They were duty bound to use only "legal and moral" methods of wrapping. That meant, one could suppose, that "wrapping" the pants inside of a cadaver or booby-trapped to explosives was out of the question. Nevertheless, their schemes each year became more and more creative. Roy raised the stakes by placing the pants into a 2-foot square shipping crate filled with stones and strapped shut with steel bands. Larry countered by mounting the pants inside of an insulated window and shipping them off to Roy, complete with the 20-year warrantee.
Soon, their annual gift-giving exploits began to attract attention. The United Press International first told their story in 1983 and updated the world on the next chapter each Christmas for years. One year, Roy stuffed the pants into a coffee can which he had soldered shut. Then he buried the can into a five-gallon container of reinforced concrete. Larry responded by entombing the pants into a 225-pound steel ashtray made from 8-inch steel casings. He even personalized the unique gift by putting Roy's name on the side. Roy must have been so proud. How he retrieved the pants without burning them with a cutting torch remains a secret. Perhaps the work of cutting free the pants put Roy into an industrious mood. He next secured the pants into a 600-pound safe and then welded the door shut.
Larry took one look at the safe and decided then and there to do Roy one better. He put the still nearly-new pants into the glove box of a 1974 Gremlin. Then he had the car crushed into a 3-foot cube, placing a cheery note of where to find the pants inside the automobile. This happy tradition seemed to get bigger and bigger each year. Roy once secured a huge used tire that was once housed on a piece of heavy construction equipment. It was eight feet high and two feet wide. He filled it with 6,000 pounds of concrete after placing the pants inside and tagged the outside with the merry sentiment, "Have a Goodyear".
The next year, UPI gleefully reported that Larry wrapped the pants inside of a 17 foot red rocket ship that weighed 6 tons after being filled with concrete. Complicating matters was the fact that the ship contained 15 concrete filled containers, one of which actually contained the Christmas pants. Roy was undaunted. He devised a 4-ton Rubik's Cube, constructed of kiln-baked concrete covered with 2,000 board feet of lumber. Following the puzzle theme, Larry returned the pants the following year inside of a station wagon filled with 170 steel generators all welded together. Since their rules stipulated that the pants had to be retrieved undamaged, Roy faced several months of disassembly in just trying to find them. As so it continued until 1989 when the complexity of their wrapping finally damaged the pants and ended the well-documented game. Roy, working to wrap the pants in 10,000 pounds of jagged glass, inadvertently ruined the pants when molten glass being poured over the container holding it all burned them beyond recognition.
Sadly, Roy put the ashes in an urn and sent Larry a final note: "Sorry, old man here lies the pants. An attempt to cast the pants in glass brought about the demise of the pants at last." Twenty-six year and untold tons of material later, the legend of the Christmas pants only grows larger. Larry and Roy's exploits have been duplicated in measure by fun loving folks from all over. After reading their story, Hank McHenry of Littleton, Colorado wrote to tell the story of an exchange he has maintained with his sister for nearly 50 years. Each year, the gift of a worn baby blanket passes between them. The blanket was originally the cherished possession of Hank's little sister Joy. Joy carried the blanket with her nearly everywhere until the age of six. When, to her horror, the blanket just disappeared. It wasn't until Christmas Eve, 1951 Joy's wedding night that she saw the blanket again. It came wrapped with a note, begging forgiveness of her big brother, who confessed to long ago taking the blanket and keeping it from her.
To his utter surprise, a year later Hank received a Christmas package from his sister, who by then was living all the way out in Florida and who was great with child. The package had the usual holiday fare and one unusually wrapped gift a box covered with old baseball cards that seemed oddly familiar to Hank. They were his! And he always wondered what had happened to them. Inside was the famous blanket encouraging Hank to accept it to diminish the urge he might feel to swipe the new blanket she was making for her yet unborn son. Hank never stole the blanket from his nephew, but he did return his sister's blanket the following Christmas, again asking for forgiveness. Another Christmas came, another package arrived and again Hank unwrapped the blanket with yet another love note from his sister. Each year has seen this ritual continued. Both Hank and Joy have raised families and lost their spouses. But they continue to ask for forgiveness and express love through the well- traveled gift of a little girl's beloved blanket.
Whether it is the exchange of an unwanted pair of pants or the symbolic gesture of the bouncing baby blanket, these giving rituals are never really about the gift. Or, rather, the gift is never really what is inside the package. It is what is inside the heart.
It began as a simple, thoughtful gift. Back in 1964, Larry Kunkel's mother thought he'd appreciate a nice new pair of moleskin pants. He didn't. Living in Minnesota, the pants were prone to stiffness in the freezing weather of the winter months. So Larry pawned the pants off on his brother-in-law, Roy Collett, as a gift the very next Christmas. But Roy didn't care for them either. So he returned the favour and the pants the following Christmas.
And thus the game began. Each year, as Christmas approached, Larry and Roy contemplated those pants. For the giver, there was delight in knowing that possession of the pants would no longer be theirs for at least a year. For the receiver, it meant another Christmas morning of knowing exactly what one of the wrapped presents beneath the tree would contain. One year, as Roy looked forward to his turn as the giver, he took their merry game to a new level by tightly twisting the pants into a "wrapping" of a 3-foot-long, 1-inch-wide galvanized pipe. Perhaps Roy was merely trying to trick Larry into thinking that he was getting something new, for a change. Or perhaps he was merely hoping to end the gag once and for all by making the pants impossible to give again. We may never know Roy's intentions. But we do know what happened as a result.
The next Christmas morning, Larry surely giggled at the picture of Roy struggling to untangle a 7-inch square bale of wire, in which resided the infamous and unwanted pants. With a credit now to both of them in demonstrating ingenuity in the annual exchange of the gift, the stage was now set for their legendary yuletide gift-giving exploits to grow more and more ridiculous with each passing season. They did not disappoint.
There were, however, some ground rules. They agreed, for example, that the pants could not be damaged in their packaging or delivery. They were duty bound to use only "legal and moral" methods of wrapping. That meant, one could suppose, that "wrapping" the pants inside of a cadaver or booby-trapped to explosives was out of the question. Nevertheless, their schemes each year became more and more creative. Roy raised the stakes by placing the pants into a 2-foot square shipping crate filled with stones and strapped shut with steel bands. Larry countered by mounting the pants inside of an insulated window and shipping them off to Roy, complete with the 20-year warrantee.
Soon, their annual gift-giving exploits began to attract attention. The United Press International first told their story in 1983 and updated the world on the next chapter each Christmas for years. One year, Roy stuffed the pants into a coffee can which he had soldered shut. Then he buried the can into a five-gallon container of reinforced concrete. Larry responded by entombing the pants into a 225-pound steel ashtray made from 8-inch steel casings. He even personalized the unique gift by putting Roy's name on the side. Roy must have been so proud. How he retrieved the pants without burning them with a cutting torch remains a secret. Perhaps the work of cutting free the pants put Roy into an industrious mood. He next secured the pants into a 600-pound safe and then welded the door shut.
Larry took one look at the safe and decided then and there to do Roy one better. He put the still nearly-new pants into the glove box of a 1974 Gremlin. Then he had the car crushed into a 3-foot cube, placing a cheery note of where to find the pants inside the automobile. This happy tradition seemed to get bigger and bigger each year. Roy once secured a huge used tire that was once housed on a piece of heavy construction equipment. It was eight feet high and two feet wide. He filled it with 6,000 pounds of concrete after placing the pants inside and tagged the outside with the merry sentiment, "Have a Goodyear".
The next year, UPI gleefully reported that Larry wrapped the pants inside of a 17 foot red rocket ship that weighed 6 tons after being filled with concrete. Complicating matters was the fact that the ship contained 15 concrete filled containers, one of which actually contained the Christmas pants. Roy was undaunted. He devised a 4-ton Rubik's Cube, constructed of kiln-baked concrete covered with 2,000 board feet of lumber. Following the puzzle theme, Larry returned the pants the following year inside of a station wagon filled with 170 steel generators all welded together. Since their rules stipulated that the pants had to be retrieved undamaged, Roy faced several months of disassembly in just trying to find them. As so it continued until 1989 when the complexity of their wrapping finally damaged the pants and ended the well-documented game. Roy, working to wrap the pants in 10,000 pounds of jagged glass, inadvertently ruined the pants when molten glass being poured over the container holding it all burned them beyond recognition.
Sadly, Roy put the ashes in an urn and sent Larry a final note: "Sorry, old man here lies the pants. An attempt to cast the pants in glass brought about the demise of the pants at last." Twenty-six year and untold tons of material later, the legend of the Christmas pants only grows larger. Larry and Roy's exploits have been duplicated in measure by fun loving folks from all over. After reading their story, Hank McHenry of Littleton, Colorado wrote to tell the story of an exchange he has maintained with his sister for nearly 50 years. Each year, the gift of a worn baby blanket passes between them. The blanket was originally the cherished possession of Hank's little sister Joy. Joy carried the blanket with her nearly everywhere until the age of six. When, to her horror, the blanket just disappeared. It wasn't until Christmas Eve, 1951 Joy's wedding night that she saw the blanket again. It came wrapped with a note, begging forgiveness of her big brother, who confessed to long ago taking the blanket and keeping it from her.
To his utter surprise, a year later Hank received a Christmas package from his sister, who by then was living all the way out in Florida and who was great with child. The package had the usual holiday fare and one unusually wrapped gift a box covered with old baseball cards that seemed oddly familiar to Hank. They were his! And he always wondered what had happened to them. Inside was the famous blanket encouraging Hank to accept it to diminish the urge he might feel to swipe the new blanket she was making for her yet unborn son. Hank never stole the blanket from his nephew, but he did return his sister's blanket the following Christmas, again asking for forgiveness. Another Christmas came, another package arrived and again Hank unwrapped the blanket with yet another love note from his sister. Each year has seen this ritual continued. Both Hank and Joy have raised families and lost their spouses. But they continue to ask for forgiveness and express love through the well- traveled gift of a little girl's beloved blanket.
Whether it is the exchange of an unwanted pair of pants or the symbolic gesture of the bouncing baby blanket, these giving rituals are never really about the gift. Or, rather, the gift is never really what is inside the package. It is what is inside the heart.
2007 Shelby GT Production Begins
The new Ford Shelby GT is the third model in the modern Shelby Mustang portfolio, joining the 500-horsepower Ford Shelby GT500 and Hertz rental special, Shelby GT-H.
The 2007 Ford Shelby GT will be priced a starting MSRP of $36,970.
The 2007 Ford Shelby GT will be priced a starting MSRP of $36,970.
The first production-built Shelby GT, CSM No. 07SGT0001 will go over the auction block in support of the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Collector Car Event on Saturday, January 20th.
Ford Shelby Mustangs have proven extremely desirable: The first publicly available Shelby GT500 sold for $600,000 in January 2006, the first Shelby GT-H sold to the public commanded $250,000 in late July, and Shelby GT-Hs coming off Hertz rental duty are selling for $68,000-$90,000 at auction.
StangsUnleashed.com – The first Ford Shelby GT CSM No. 07SGT0001 will fire up its engine and drive out of the Shelby Automobiles build center in Las Vegas in celebration of the start of production of the third model in the modern Ford Shelby Mustang portfolio. The Shelby GT features a 4.6-liter V-8, classic Shelby design cues, and performance modifications and will be priced at $36,970 MSRP including applicable taxes and destination and delivery.
CLICK HERE FOR HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS.
“I couldn’t be more excited to see production up and running on a new Shelby Mustang,” says Carroll Shelby, CEO and Chairman of Shelby Automobiles, Inc. “The new Shelby GT is a great addition to the Shelby GT500 and Shelby GT-H, and it will only further the lead that Mustang has in the coming muscle car wars.”
The Shelby GT is the third modern Shelby Mustang produced through a collaboration of Ford and Carroll Shelby. In addition to the 2007 Shelby GT500, Ford and Shelby created 500 copies of the Ford Shelby GT-H, which are available to rent through select Hertz rental centers.
The Shelby GT joining the Ford line-up is the result of customers and dealers demanding a retail version of the Shelby GT-H. Ford and Shelby Automobiles were able to capitalize on much of the development work that was done on the Shelby GT-H, and put together a ‘Go Fast’ production program delivering the Shelby GT in six months.
“The Shelby GT500 has been a huge success, but we have been overwhelmed at the number of people who want to buy a retail version of the Shelby GT-H,” continues Shelby. “The Shelby GT will perfectly compliment the GT500, just like the original GT350 and GT500 did back in the 60’s.”
Be first on the block to own the new small-block ShelbyThe first production unit of the Shelby GT will be auctioned off to support the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation charity at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Collector Car Event in January 2007. Classic Shelby Mustangs have always been a crowd favorite at Barrett-Jackson auctions, pushing muscle car prices to new heights, and the modern Shelby Mustangs have proven to be no different.
In January this year, an early production Shelby 2007 GT500 sold at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction for $600,000, with proceeds benefiting the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation. On July 28, a Shelby GT-H was sold for $250,000 at EAA AirVenture, with proceeds benefiting the Youth Eagles aviation education program. Now, some of the first Shelby GT-Hs are exiting the Hertz rental fleet and going to private auction where they are consistently averaging between $68,000-$90,000 in sale.
Shelby-inspired performance, proven by Ford RacingUnder the hood, the Ford Racing Power Pack includes a 90 millimeter cold-air intake and a new performance engine calibration for improved response. The high-flow exhaust system with X-pipe crossover offers better power delivery and a throaty V-8 exhaust note. A shorter 3.55:1 rear-axle ratio is installed to capitalize on the Shelby GT coupe’s extra power when accelerating off the line. For Shelby GT models equipped with a manual transmission, a Hurst short-throw shifter is installed for more precise shift action.
The Shelby GT driving dynamics are fine tuned with the Ford Racing Handling Pack, which was developed by the same engineers that developed the Ford Racing FR500C, which won the 2005 Grand-Am Cup Championship. New coil springs drop the overall ride height by an inch-and-a-half for a more aggressive stance and lower center of gravity. Stiffer dampers and front swaybar further enhance cornering feel and body control. To showcase the key performance modifications, Ford Racing painted all the key suspension components, including the damper, spring, and swaybar Ford Racing Blue.
A front strut-tower brace adds additional strength to the chassis structure, and P235/55ZR18 high-performance tires maximize the benefits of the chassis upgrades.
Shelby GT models will begin as a stock Mustang GT assembled at AutoAlliance International assembly plant in Flat Rock, Mich. The cars are then shipped to the Shelby Automobiles facility in Las Vegas for modification before delivery to Ford dealerships.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
A Parent's Night Before Christmas
’Twas the night before Christmas
when all through the house
I searched for the tools
to hand to my spouse
Instructions were studied
and we were inspired,
in hopes we could manage
"Some Assembly Required."
The children were quiet
(not asleep) in their beds,
while Dad and I faced
the evening with dread:
a kitchen, two bikes, Barbie's townhouse to boot!
And now, thanks to Grandpa,
a train with a toot!
We opened the boxes,
my heart skipped a beat
- let no parts be missing
or parts incomplete!
"Too late for last-minute returns or replacement;
if we can't get it right,
it goes straight to the basement!
When what to my worrying eyes should appear
but 50 sheets of directions,
concise, but not clear,
With each part numbered and every slot named,
so if we failed,
only we could be blamed.
More rapid than eagles
the parts then fell out,
all over the carpet
they were scattered about.
"Now bolt it!
Now twist it!
Attach it right there!
Slide on the seats,
and staple the stair!
Hammer the shelves,
and nail to the stand."
"Honey," said hubby,
"you just glued my hand."
And then in a twinkling,
I knew for a fact
that all the toy dealers
had indeed made a pact
to keep parents busy
all Christmas Eve night
with "assembly required"
till morning's first light
We spoke not a word,
but kept bent at our work,
till our eyes, they went bleary;
our fingers all hurt.
The coffee went cold
and the night, it wore thin
before we attached the last rod and last pin.
Then laying the tools away in the chest,
we fell into bed for a well-deserved rest.
But I said to my husband
just before I passed out,
"This will be the best Christmas,
without any doubt.
Tomorrow we'll cheer,
let the holiday ring,
and not run to the store
for one single thing!
We did it! We did it!
The toys are all set
for the perfect, most magical,
Christmas, I bet!"
Then off to dreamland and sweet repose
I'm grateful went,
though I suppose there's something to say
for those self-deluded-
I'd forgotten that BATTERIES are never included!
when all through the house
I searched for the tools
to hand to my spouse
Instructions were studied
and we were inspired,
in hopes we could manage
"Some Assembly Required."
The children were quiet
(not asleep) in their beds,
while Dad and I faced
the evening with dread:
a kitchen, two bikes, Barbie's townhouse to boot!
And now, thanks to Grandpa,
a train with a toot!
We opened the boxes,
my heart skipped a beat
- let no parts be missing
or parts incomplete!
"Too late for last-minute returns or replacement;
if we can't get it right,
it goes straight to the basement!
When what to my worrying eyes should appear
but 50 sheets of directions,
concise, but not clear,
With each part numbered and every slot named,
so if we failed,
only we could be blamed.
More rapid than eagles
the parts then fell out,
all over the carpet
they were scattered about.
"Now bolt it!
Now twist it!
Attach it right there!
Slide on the seats,
and staple the stair!
Hammer the shelves,
and nail to the stand."
"Honey," said hubby,
"you just glued my hand."
And then in a twinkling,
I knew for a fact
that all the toy dealers
had indeed made a pact
to keep parents busy
all Christmas Eve night
with "assembly required"
till morning's first light
We spoke not a word,
but kept bent at our work,
till our eyes, they went bleary;
our fingers all hurt.
The coffee went cold
and the night, it wore thin
before we attached the last rod and last pin.
Then laying the tools away in the chest,
we fell into bed for a well-deserved rest.
But I said to my husband
just before I passed out,
"This will be the best Christmas,
without any doubt.
Tomorrow we'll cheer,
let the holiday ring,
and not run to the store
for one single thing!
We did it! We did it!
The toys are all set
for the perfect, most magical,
Christmas, I bet!"
Then off to dreamland and sweet repose
I'm grateful went,
though I suppose there's something to say
for those self-deluded-
I'd forgotten that BATTERIES are never included!
Santa by any other name
Santa Claus is one of the most famous characters that is loved by children all over the world. He is known for giving gifts to good kids on Christmas Eve. He is also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kriss Kringle, Santy or simply Santa. In many countries, kids, especially 'in spirit', believe Father Christmas as being real. Other names by which Father Christmas is known in other countries are:
Afghanistan - Baba Chaghaloo
Armenia - Gaghant Baba
Brazil - Papai Noel
Czech Republic - JežÃÅ¡ek
Denmark - Julemanden
France and French Canada - Le Père Noël
Germany - Weihnachtsmann
Iraq and South Africa – Goosaleh
Ireland & Scottish Highlands - Daidà na Nollag
Italy - Babbo Natale
Portugal - Pai Natal
Romania - Mos Craciun
Spain and Mexico - Papá Noel
Netherlands and Belgium - Sinterklaas
Afghanistan - Baba Chaghaloo
Armenia - Gaghant Baba
Brazil - Papai Noel
Czech Republic - JežÃÅ¡ek
Denmark - Julemanden
France and French Canada - Le Père Noël
Germany - Weihnachtsmann
Iraq and South Africa – Goosaleh
Ireland & Scottish Highlands - Daidà na Nollag
Italy - Babbo Natale
Portugal - Pai Natal
Romania - Mos Craciun
Spain and Mexico - Papá Noel
Netherlands and Belgium - Sinterklaas
1918 and the arrival of the `steel horse'
Having started life as a farmer, Henry Ford was always interested in trying to make life easier for that hardy breed.
He developed the first practical mass-produced tractor in 1917 and, a year later, the famous Fordson was being shipped to Australia.
That first Fordson went to work on the Darling Downs in Queensland and the Ford tractors were soon being sought after by farmers all over Australia.
In July 1925, the same month that the first Model T rolled out of Ford’s temporary assembly plant in Geringhap Street, Geelong, 104 Fordson tractors were assembled by Ford Australia.
By the end of 1932, Ford had produced more than 10,000 Fordsons and, for the next 50 years, continued to produce thousands of `steel horses' for Australia’s farmers.
He developed the first practical mass-produced tractor in 1917 and, a year later, the famous Fordson was being shipped to Australia.
That first Fordson went to work on the Darling Downs in Queensland and the Ford tractors were soon being sought after by farmers all over Australia.
In July 1925, the same month that the first Model T rolled out of Ford’s temporary assembly plant in Geringhap Street, Geelong, 104 Fordson tractors were assembled by Ford Australia.
By the end of 1932, Ford had produced more than 10,000 Fordsons and, for the next 50 years, continued to produce thousands of `steel horses' for Australia’s farmers.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Christmas quotes
Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. - Norman Vincent Peale
He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree. - Sunshine Magazine
What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace. - Agnes M. Pharo
Christmas is not in tinsel and lights and outward show. The secret lies in an inner glow. It's lighting a fire inside the heart. Good will and joy a vital part. It's higher thought and a greater plan. It's glorious dream in the soul of man. - Wilfred A. Peterson (The Art of Living)
He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree. - Sunshine Magazine
What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace. - Agnes M. Pharo
Christmas is not in tinsel and lights and outward show. The secret lies in an inner glow. It's lighting a fire inside the heart. Good will and joy a vital part. It's higher thought and a greater plan. It's glorious dream in the soul of man. - Wilfred A. Peterson (The Art of Living)
Proof my family hate me
The four of us went out for dinner, then to a movie. All night I got the sense that something was going on, but couldn't get it.
When we got home I went to brush my teeth and saw the two inch piece of spaghetti artfully woven into my beard.I turned around to hilarious laughter from all three girls.
Tomorrow, they will awaken with spaghetti in their beds. Oh yes, they will.
When we got home I went to brush my teeth and saw the two inch piece of spaghetti artfully woven into my beard.I turned around to hilarious laughter from all three girls.
Tomorrow, they will awaken with spaghetti in their beds. Oh yes, they will.
It’s Christmas. Dream just for a minute...
Santa’s making a list, and checking it twice. If you could ask for and receive one gift for your school, what would that gift be? If principals got what they wished for, wouldn't that be nice?
Would it be any of the following…..
. a school where class size was 10 students per teacher;
. a social worker/counsellors for every 25-50 students;
. each student having a laptop computer with Internet access, personal email, and…accompanying systems at home;
. computers in every classroom and a state-of-the-art school-wide teleconferencing system.
. every parent actively involved, by volunteering in classrooms;
. a peaceable school free of bullying, name calling, and violence;
. every child would go home to a loving family free of ridicule and put-downs;
. every single computer and printer be in tiptop shape and connected to the Internet."
. acknowledgement' of all the hard work and good things that we do on a daily and weekly basis
Would it be any of the following…..
. a school where class size was 10 students per teacher;
. a social worker/counsellors for every 25-50 students;
. each student having a laptop computer with Internet access, personal email, and…accompanying systems at home;
. computers in every classroom and a state-of-the-art school-wide teleconferencing system.
. every parent actively involved, by volunteering in classrooms;
. a peaceable school free of bullying, name calling, and violence;
. every child would go home to a loving family free of ridicule and put-downs;
. every single computer and printer be in tiptop shape and connected to the Internet."
. acknowledgement' of all the hard work and good things that we do on a daily and weekly basis
Capricorn - the car that never was
IN the petrol crisis days of the late '70s and early '80s, Ford was ‘having a few bob each way’ on the design for the XD Falcon replacement. In a case of bad timing, it had introduced the full-size XD at the same time as Holden had ‘downsized’ with the new Commodore.
Ford’s engineers and stylists set about designing a smaller ‘Commodore-sized’ Falcon in both sedan and hatchback styles.
Code-named ‘Capricorn’, the car reached full clay and fibreglass model stage. The interior had been designed and, by late 1981, all it needed was final approval before going to the next stage of driveable prototypes.
At the same time, Ford was revamping the Falcon range of engines and introduced the alloy head and other improvements that kept the Falcon’s fuel economy on a par with the smaller Commodore. Falcon sales soared, Ford became No.1 in the market place and the Capricorn died!
So what did it look like? No pictures were kept. thanks to Ford corporate philosophy that any still-born project simply ceases to exist and all related materials are destroyed. But more than three years after this article was originally posted, we receive this from a mate...
It's an old pic, but the Ford badge is unmistakeable on something that could have worn any number of badges in the `80s. Wonder what a current Capricorn would look like...
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Christmas activities
Need some inspiration for Christmas activities in your classroom? You might be able to gain an idea or two form the following:
There are 6 areas of activities to choose from based on Bloom's taxonomy of Learning; this allows all children to complete some activities.
KNOWLEDGE
1. Read poems and stories with Australian Christmas themes.
2. Learn and perform an Australian Christmas Carol
3. List the foods traditionally eaten at Christmas. What foods do we eat in Australia at Christmas.
4. Describe what you and your family do to celebrate Christmas.
5. Read the big book 'Santa Visits Australia'
6. Ask five people what they think the meaning of Christmas is and record their answers
COMPREHENSION
1. Make a comparative chart to compare traditional Christmas carols and Australian Carols.
2. Collect pictures of different Christmas foods. Are the foods we eat at Christmas good for us? Make a list of good, healthy Christmas foods.
3. Make up a crossword puzzle with a Christmas theme.
APPLICATION
1. Make some decorations for the classroom with an Aussie theme.
2. Plan and write an Aussie Bushman's menu for Christmas dinner.
3. Design and draw a plan of the table decorations.
4. Can you write a set of instructions to:(a) Put Christmas lights on a tree(b) Make a Christmas ice cream cake(c) Wrap a bicycle for Christmas
ANALYSIS
1. Design an Australian Christmas card.
2. Design a questionnaire to find out what the most desired present is
3. Plan a Christmas party. Write down all the areas that would need to be organised to make it successful, eg. seating arrangements, decoration and so on
SYNTHESIS
1. Compose an Australian carol using a known tune.
2. Predict what Christmas will be like in the year 2091. Talk about it with your friends and illustrate your thoughts.
3. You have invented a new toy. Write an advertisement to convince children to buy it.
4. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ 200 years ago. Three wise men travelled by camel to Bethlehem. Write the conversation the camels might have had as they were travelling.
5 . Invent a machine to wrap presents with the push of a button. Draw a diagram of it.
EVALUATION
1. Make a booklet of five rules designed to keep you safe during the school holidays.
2. What are some of the differences between the way Christmas is celebrated in Australia and in America? What things are the same?
3. How could we celebrate Christmas with consideration being given to others in our community who are less fortunate?
4. Write a report on how you think you worked in this unit. What did you do well? What could you have improved?
There are 6 areas of activities to choose from based on Bloom's taxonomy of Learning; this allows all children to complete some activities.
KNOWLEDGE
1. Read poems and stories with Australian Christmas themes.
2. Learn and perform an Australian Christmas Carol
3. List the foods traditionally eaten at Christmas. What foods do we eat in Australia at Christmas.
4. Describe what you and your family do to celebrate Christmas.
5. Read the big book 'Santa Visits Australia'
6. Ask five people what they think the meaning of Christmas is and record their answers
COMPREHENSION
1. Make a comparative chart to compare traditional Christmas carols and Australian Carols.
2. Collect pictures of different Christmas foods. Are the foods we eat at Christmas good for us? Make a list of good, healthy Christmas foods.
3. Make up a crossword puzzle with a Christmas theme.
APPLICATION
1. Make some decorations for the classroom with an Aussie theme.
2. Plan and write an Aussie Bushman's menu for Christmas dinner.
3. Design and draw a plan of the table decorations.
4. Can you write a set of instructions to:(a) Put Christmas lights on a tree(b) Make a Christmas ice cream cake(c) Wrap a bicycle for Christmas
ANALYSIS
1. Design an Australian Christmas card.
2. Design a questionnaire to find out what the most desired present is
3. Plan a Christmas party. Write down all the areas that would need to be organised to make it successful, eg. seating arrangements, decoration and so on
SYNTHESIS
1. Compose an Australian carol using a known tune.
2. Predict what Christmas will be like in the year 2091. Talk about it with your friends and illustrate your thoughts.
3. You have invented a new toy. Write an advertisement to convince children to buy it.
4. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ 200 years ago. Three wise men travelled by camel to Bethlehem. Write the conversation the camels might have had as they were travelling.
5 . Invent a machine to wrap presents with the push of a button. Draw a diagram of it.
EVALUATION
1. Make a booklet of five rules designed to keep you safe during the school holidays.
2. What are some of the differences between the way Christmas is celebrated in Australia and in America? What things are the same?
3. How could we celebrate Christmas with consideration being given to others in our community who are less fortunate?
4. Write a report on how you think you worked in this unit. What did you do well? What could you have improved?
Seasons of Stress…...Moments of Peace
Why are holidays, especially Christmas -- so stressful? It may be because we're all determined to make *this* Christmas the BEST ever. Who wouldn't like to wake up inside a greeting card on Christmas? You know... a perfect tree, neatly wrapped presents, fresh coffee brewing, and no heat verging on 42 degrees. Think about it. Memories of Christmas are not so much of Christmas morning as they are the days leading up to Christmas... mounting expectation, growing wonder at the approaching moment.
In the days preceding Christmas we see children dancing with excitement -- they are thrilled with the adventure. It's a time of hopes and dreams. The afterglow of Christmas never seems as glorious as the days before. Christmas is like life. Satisfaction comes from living it, not in having lived it. We're all on a pilgrimage, and one way or another we'll all arrive at the end. It's the paths we choose, the people we meet, and the detours we take that give pleasure and meaning to our travels.
Simple presents given with love and joy are treasured more than the hurried gifts of necessity, obligation, or guilt. We don't validate ourselves as parents by the things we leave under the tree on Christmas morning. Our gifts are only extensions of who we are the rest of the year. We can't purchase pleasure. But we can create it. We can build memories by taking time to share the journey and excitement. Thinking back to all our Christmas yesterdays... how many presents do we actually recall? Which burns brighter in memory? Forgotten gifts? Or the feelings of love, family, and sharing? How much money do we REALLY need to spend on Christmas? Hardly a cent. How much time should we spend on Christmas? All of it.
In the days preceding Christmas we see children dancing with excitement -- they are thrilled with the adventure. It's a time of hopes and dreams. The afterglow of Christmas never seems as glorious as the days before. Christmas is like life. Satisfaction comes from living it, not in having lived it. We're all on a pilgrimage, and one way or another we'll all arrive at the end. It's the paths we choose, the people we meet, and the detours we take that give pleasure and meaning to our travels.
Simple presents given with love and joy are treasured more than the hurried gifts of necessity, obligation, or guilt. We don't validate ourselves as parents by the things we leave under the tree on Christmas morning. Our gifts are only extensions of who we are the rest of the year. We can't purchase pleasure. But we can create it. We can build memories by taking time to share the journey and excitement. Thinking back to all our Christmas yesterdays... how many presents do we actually recall? Which burns brighter in memory? Forgotten gifts? Or the feelings of love, family, and sharing? How much money do we REALLY need to spend on Christmas? Hardly a cent. How much time should we spend on Christmas? All of it.
Chainsaw Dolmette: A Monster with a 24-cylinder 2 Stroke Power Plant
Monster bikes are always admired for their weird looks with their structure bodying a powerful engine.
Dolmette is a perfect monster bike that combines both looks and power. The Chainsaw Powered Motorcycle is powered by 24 DOLMAR chainsaw engines that feed a 5-speed Harley-Davidson transmission by a series of twelve toothed belts. This combination provides the product with a unique identity.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Quotable quotes
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." --Charles Darwin, English naturalist
Live life fully
“Time is life. It is irreversible and irreplaceable. To waste your time is to waste your life, but to master your time is to master your life and make the most of it.” -- Alan Lakein
Refuse to feel USED by life! Make full use of it instead. To do this, we initially need to take control of the time of our lives. Time management is life management, from the inside out. It’s an INSIDE job. You already have everything you need. You have the power to create a life of meaning, fulfilment and joy.
Your challenge is to find what works for you! Review the literature but make your own decisions. To do this, you’ll need to:
Get to know yourself -- your desires and passions, rhythms, styles, challenges, needs and habits.
Be aware that you always have choice.
Claim your independence and power to choose what is right for your life, moment by moment.
“Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.” -- M. Scott Peck
Refuse to feel USED by life! Make full use of it instead. To do this, we initially need to take control of the time of our lives. Time management is life management, from the inside out. It’s an INSIDE job. You already have everything you need. You have the power to create a life of meaning, fulfilment and joy.
Your challenge is to find what works for you! Review the literature but make your own decisions. To do this, you’ll need to:
Get to know yourself -- your desires and passions, rhythms, styles, challenges, needs and habits.
Be aware that you always have choice.
Claim your independence and power to choose what is right for your life, moment by moment.
“Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.” -- M. Scott Peck
Playboy picks hottest cars of 2007
The bunny wranglers over at Playboy are no strangers to fine automobiles, as high-end exotics often grace the glossy pages of America's favorite gentleman's magazine. The Playboy empire even goes racing, sponsoring no fewer than six cars in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series and the Grand-Am Cup Series. So when the magazine wants to throw its own COTY list into the mix, despite the fact that we're utterly sick of COTY lists, we'll give it a glance. Rather than your boring old categories of Best Sports Coupe and Best SUV, Playboy also threw a few extra categories in that aren't your typical COTY fare, like Best Cross-Dresser and the Al Gore Special. The overall winner and Playboy's 2007 Car of the Year is the BMW Z4M Coupe. You can check out all the winners below. We hope we didn't spoil it for you, because we know you read Playboy for the articles.
BEST TWO-WAY PLAYER: VW Eos
BEST SPORTS COUPE: Porsche 911 Turbo
BEST SUV: Cadillac Escalade
BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: Ford Shelby GT500
BEST PICKUP: 2007 Toyota Tundra
BEST ROADSTER: Saturn Sky Red Line
BEST CROSS-DRESSER: Mazda CX-7
THE AL GORE SPECIAL: Lexus GS 450h
PLAYBOY'S 2007 CAR OF THE YEAR: BMW Z4M Coupe
So, it's official - "Ford. Playboy says its the best bang for your buck."
Somehow, I can't see it being a campaign.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Rare bird
Also on eBay at the moment:
McLeod Horn Striped Coupe.
I'm not familiar with them, but I'll acknowledge that they're interesting.
Rat rod
I love hot rods and am also quite partial to rat rods, a perhaps unfair name given to ones that are a bit "ratty". This in one on eBay that caught my eye.
"Ford 1928 all steel rat rod 8BA flat head with dual offinhauser manifold with 94 holleys,electronic dissy,custom made headers, motor runs sweet a little smoky,ford single rail 4 speed conversion,shorten tail shaft & borg warner diff,suicide I beam front end. Body work 1932 grille shell with barb wire spider webb grille. Body has been channelled 9" & tube is channelled 2" for a super low rat rod look. Chain steering wheel,cast iron seats & 30" swan gear stick."
A quick test
Identify your favourite colour and then describe how it makes you feel.
Identify your favourite food and describe how it makes you feel.
Identify your favourite animnal and describe how it makes you feel.
Your answers to the first one describe your personality.
Your answers to the second one describe how you kiss.
Your answers to the third one describe what you're like in bed.
Identify your favourite food and describe how it makes you feel.
Identify your favourite animnal and describe how it makes you feel.
Your answers to the first one describe your personality.
Your answers to the second one describe how you kiss.
Your answers to the third one describe what you're like in bed.
Doppelganger
It's weird when you come across a car that looks like yors, but slightly different, on place like eBay.
It makes me wnat to run out to the garage to make sure mine's still there.
:)
Monday, December 18, 2006
It's Just Not That Simple
By Regina Barreca
I find that the people most visibly drawn to extolling the joys and the privilege of teaching are high-powered attorneys, successful venture capitalists, and exceedingly youthful movie stars of strikingly limited intelligence.
Meaning they have not come near an actual school in quite a while.
Real teachers don't talk that way. We live under a canopy of worry, anxious about doing our best work even on the worst day. On a regular basis, we do not offer lavish choruses of praise for ourselves and our colleagues. It's only those who have no idea what we do who seem to think teaching is
1. amateurish ("Why, if I weren't in my profession, I'd become a teacher instantly");
2. easy ("Home by the middle of the afternoon! You have scads of time for yourself");
3. respected ("All the world looks up to educators; you are given authority automatically").
Instead we're the ones in the corner muttering to each other about the lack of funding, the lack of supplies, and the lack of accountability -- not to mention the scarcity of good parking spaces.
It's only folks outside our universe who can't help but launch into the following wistful monologue: "It must be wonderful to be in the business of shaping lives and working with all those different types of young people. What fun it must be to go to work everyday! I bet you can hardly wait!" The ones who add, with a playful grin, "Plus you have the summers off!" are the ones we need particularly to avoid.
After all, in order to keep at a minimum our rates of arrest for battery and to set good example for our students, we are not supposed to whack others. And the temptation to do is difficult to override because the individuals making these comments are ones work no more than three days in a row without taking a break at Canyon Ranch to de-stress. The ones talking about getting a few weeks off in the summer as if it was the same thing as winning Powerball are the very same folks who become unstrung if their personal assistant puts too much soymilk in the latte.
Let's put it this way: the raconteur who relates sentimental, dreamy tales of school days touched by the glimmering, glistening fairy-dust of learning is not a teacher. Anybody who describes scenes where prodigal, doe-eyed, curly-haired, Campbell-soup kids romp through open fields until a teacher rings a brass bell to welcome them all back to their lessons doesn't know anything about contemporary education. Or economic, psychological, political, or social reality, for that matter. Sure, teachers today continue to need something made of brass. But it definitely isn't a bell.
The vision of youth as an perfectly delightful time is paraded forth only by those who don't, on a daily basis, cope with the broken wrist from a fall off the swings, a broken heart from the failure of a big test, or the broken trust from a parent who doesn't show up when he or she promised. Being a student is almost as hard as being a teacher.
But if the precious believers comprising the first group of enthusiasts is tough to deal with, their rivals and counterparts are far worse. The group in the other corner is comprised of bitter, brittle, self-righteous types who fling themselves into harangues concerning everything that's wrong with our educational system. The thought that change for the better is possible is unknown to them; they want to return to the mythical days of reading, writing, and arithmetic, when teachers ruled with rulers and iron maidens awaited those who so much made eye-contact in class.
This gang knows the least -- and shouts the most -- about what it is that schools do (or, more often, don't do). Listen to them for three minutes and you become astonished at their ignorance. These are the ones who believe that students can be divided into the barbarians and the virgins, who believe that girls grow into concubines unless you keep them locked up until they are 21 and that boys will drop down on all fours at any moment if someone is not whipping them into the right position. They are not our allies.
When you work inside education, you know better than to align yourself with either camp. Personally, I find myself arguing against whatever is being shoved at me as a theory by somebody who couldn't survive for five hours in the real world of a classroom. There is nothing simple about education. What we see can be shocking, fabulous, aggravating, resplendent, unfair -- as well as unbelievably inspiring, hideous, or dull -- but the world in which we work is never simple. That's what those outside our profession never really understand. And for most of us, that's the best part of all.
I find that the people most visibly drawn to extolling the joys and the privilege of teaching are high-powered attorneys, successful venture capitalists, and exceedingly youthful movie stars of strikingly limited intelligence.
Meaning they have not come near an actual school in quite a while.
Real teachers don't talk that way. We live under a canopy of worry, anxious about doing our best work even on the worst day. On a regular basis, we do not offer lavish choruses of praise for ourselves and our colleagues. It's only those who have no idea what we do who seem to think teaching is
1. amateurish ("Why, if I weren't in my profession, I'd become a teacher instantly");
2. easy ("Home by the middle of the afternoon! You have scads of time for yourself");
3. respected ("All the world looks up to educators; you are given authority automatically").
Instead we're the ones in the corner muttering to each other about the lack of funding, the lack of supplies, and the lack of accountability -- not to mention the scarcity of good parking spaces.
It's only folks outside our universe who can't help but launch into the following wistful monologue: "It must be wonderful to be in the business of shaping lives and working with all those different types of young people. What fun it must be to go to work everyday! I bet you can hardly wait!" The ones who add, with a playful grin, "Plus you have the summers off!" are the ones we need particularly to avoid.
After all, in order to keep at a minimum our rates of arrest for battery and to set good example for our students, we are not supposed to whack others. And the temptation to do is difficult to override because the individuals making these comments are ones work no more than three days in a row without taking a break at Canyon Ranch to de-stress. The ones talking about getting a few weeks off in the summer as if it was the same thing as winning Powerball are the very same folks who become unstrung if their personal assistant puts too much soymilk in the latte.
Let's put it this way: the raconteur who relates sentimental, dreamy tales of school days touched by the glimmering, glistening fairy-dust of learning is not a teacher. Anybody who describes scenes where prodigal, doe-eyed, curly-haired, Campbell-soup kids romp through open fields until a teacher rings a brass bell to welcome them all back to their lessons doesn't know anything about contemporary education. Or economic, psychological, political, or social reality, for that matter. Sure, teachers today continue to need something made of brass. But it definitely isn't a bell.
The vision of youth as an perfectly delightful time is paraded forth only by those who don't, on a daily basis, cope with the broken wrist from a fall off the swings, a broken heart from the failure of a big test, or the broken trust from a parent who doesn't show up when he or she promised. Being a student is almost as hard as being a teacher.
But if the precious believers comprising the first group of enthusiasts is tough to deal with, their rivals and counterparts are far worse. The group in the other corner is comprised of bitter, brittle, self-righteous types who fling themselves into harangues concerning everything that's wrong with our educational system. The thought that change for the better is possible is unknown to them; they want to return to the mythical days of reading, writing, and arithmetic, when teachers ruled with rulers and iron maidens awaited those who so much made eye-contact in class.
This gang knows the least -- and shouts the most -- about what it is that schools do (or, more often, don't do). Listen to them for three minutes and you become astonished at their ignorance. These are the ones who believe that students can be divided into the barbarians and the virgins, who believe that girls grow into concubines unless you keep them locked up until they are 21 and that boys will drop down on all fours at any moment if someone is not whipping them into the right position. They are not our allies.
When you work inside education, you know better than to align yourself with either camp. Personally, I find myself arguing against whatever is being shoved at me as a theory by somebody who couldn't survive for five hours in the real world of a classroom. There is nothing simple about education. What we see can be shocking, fabulous, aggravating, resplendent, unfair -- as well as unbelievably inspiring, hideous, or dull -- but the world in which we work is never simple. That's what those outside our profession never really understand. And for most of us, that's the best part of all.
Stretch yourself
"People are defeated by easy, victorious and cheap successes more than by adversity." -- Benjamin Disraeli
Today’s social standard is one of mediocrity. The status quo rarely challenges our individual creative power.
Create a brand new world for yourself, one that meets your deepest needs. By doing so, you will help raise the quality of consciousness of the entire world. Use your imagination! Sing your own song!
"Success means fulfilling your own dreams, singing your own song, dancing your own dance, creating from your heart and enjoying the journey, trusting that whatever happens, it will be OK. Creating your own adventure!" -- Elana Lindquist
Today’s social standard is one of mediocrity. The status quo rarely challenges our individual creative power.
Create a brand new world for yourself, one that meets your deepest needs. By doing so, you will help raise the quality of consciousness of the entire world. Use your imagination! Sing your own song!
"Success means fulfilling your own dreams, singing your own song, dancing your own dance, creating from your heart and enjoying the journey, trusting that whatever happens, it will be OK. Creating your own adventure!" -- Elana Lindquist
Petrol head
For some time now I've been keen to up the ante with my car, a relic from 1969.
I've got the drive train sorted out finally, but would like to increase the car's horsepower. For a long time I've thought a tunnel ram might do the trick, so have kept my eye out for the right set up.
Imagine my horror when the perfect setup was posted on eBay last night.
*Must not click "Buy It Now".*
:)
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Performance enhancing drugs
and I'm *not* talking about Viagra...
A good mate of mine is a great muso and we were having some ales and the subject of performance enhancing drugs came up, as it was in the news that two players from another country, in the most sacred game of all, cricket, were let off their two year bans. (long sentence with lots of commas, that.)
Obvioulsy,sport is a competitive industry, where much money, publicity and sponsorship is entailed.
But, how is this different to music? Musicians are often excused for taking drugs. Indeed, it's part of the uniform. But when they use drugs, does this not mean that they write stuff that they wouldn't normally?
Is this different to sport. Isn't music still a competitive industry, where much money, publicity and sponsorship is entailed?
Are international chess players drug tested?
Why is sport different?
A good mate of mine is a great muso and we were having some ales and the subject of performance enhancing drugs came up, as it was in the news that two players from another country, in the most sacred game of all, cricket, were let off their two year bans. (long sentence with lots of commas, that.)
Obvioulsy,sport is a competitive industry, where much money, publicity and sponsorship is entailed.
But, how is this different to music? Musicians are often excused for taking drugs. Indeed, it's part of the uniform. But when they use drugs, does this not mean that they write stuff that they wouldn't normally?
Is this different to sport. Isn't music still a competitive industry, where much money, publicity and sponsorship is entailed?
Are international chess players drug tested?
Why is sport different?
Quotable quotes
"Live and Scratch. When you die, the itching stops."--Anonymous Soviet Diplomat
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself -- and you are the easiest to fool."--Richard Feynman
"It's great to be known, but it's even better to be known as strange."--Takeshi Kaga
"A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for."--rear admiral Grace Hopper
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."--Scott Adams
"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."--Andy Warhol
"The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken."--Samuel Johnson
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself -- and you are the easiest to fool."--Richard Feynman
"It's great to be known, but it's even better to be known as strange."--Takeshi Kaga
"A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for."--rear admiral Grace Hopper
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."--Scott Adams
"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."--Andy Warhol
"The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken."--Samuel Johnson
DE-CLUTTER (PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY)
We've all heard about the bonuses of having a spring-clean. But what about the emotional baggage we all carry, too. Both physical and emotional clutter can drain your energy levels. Beyond what the Feng-Sui people have to say, there are studies that show that hanging on to clutter or relationships that subtract rather than add to our lives is unhealthy.
It can also make us feel incompetent. For example when we look into our garages or sheds and see stuff we bought because we thought it may make us happy, but we don’t have the time to use it, or we have to keep going to work to pay it off. Or we look into our wardrobes and see things we rarely wear. Or we look at the relationships we hold onto that white-ant our self esteem or the pain we get from frustrating obligations. However, the answer to de-cluttering is the same whether you're getting rid of physical or emotional baggage. First, you need to decide to deal with one type of clutter at a time and second, pick a small area first.
Physical
Don't be overwhelmed by how big the task is. Decide which room you are going to deal with first. Then start small; maybe a drawer in the kitchen, or if you start in your wardrobe – perhaps just look at winter clothes. Set aside a specific amount of time; for example half hour to an hour is a great starting point.
Emotional
Set aside time to identify the things that you do that drain you emotionally. Are there obligations you can reduce, associations you don’t get satisfaction from anymore, or relationships that you are hanging on to? Once you have identified them, the process of de-cluttering is the same. Start in one area and start small.
It can also make us feel incompetent. For example when we look into our garages or sheds and see stuff we bought because we thought it may make us happy, but we don’t have the time to use it, or we have to keep going to work to pay it off. Or we look into our wardrobes and see things we rarely wear. Or we look at the relationships we hold onto that white-ant our self esteem or the pain we get from frustrating obligations. However, the answer to de-cluttering is the same whether you're getting rid of physical or emotional baggage. First, you need to decide to deal with one type of clutter at a time and second, pick a small area first.
Physical
Don't be overwhelmed by how big the task is. Decide which room you are going to deal with first. Then start small; maybe a drawer in the kitchen, or if you start in your wardrobe – perhaps just look at winter clothes. Set aside a specific amount of time; for example half hour to an hour is a great starting point.
Emotional
Set aside time to identify the things that you do that drain you emotionally. Are there obligations you can reduce, associations you don’t get satisfaction from anymore, or relationships that you are hanging on to? Once you have identified them, the process of de-cluttering is the same. Start in one area and start small.
`They’ said it couldn’t be done…
DURING World War II when supplies to Australia from overseas were hard to get, Ford Australia, like many other manufacturing operations, had to improvise and build import replacements to keep supplying the armed forces.
Ford built many thousands of army trucks – the famous ‘Blitz’ – during the war.
However, at one stage they ran out of the heavy duty imported truck wheels and Ford Geelong plant superintendent, C.C. Westerman, had a blacksmith build some dies and began stamping out the complete wheels.
After the war Ford Canada heard that Westerman had tried to stamp wheels using this method and informed him that "we doubt whether this could be done and, even if it was, the wheels would be no good".
Mr. Westerman didn’t bother to tell them that hundreds of army trucks ran successfully during the war on his wheels!
Ford built many thousands of army trucks – the famous ‘Blitz’ – during the war.
However, at one stage they ran out of the heavy duty imported truck wheels and Ford Geelong plant superintendent, C.C. Westerman, had a blacksmith build some dies and began stamping out the complete wheels.
After the war Ford Canada heard that Westerman had tried to stamp wheels using this method and informed him that "we doubt whether this could be done and, even if it was, the wheels would be no good".
Mr. Westerman didn’t bother to tell them that hundreds of army trucks ran successfully during the war on his wheels!
Saturday, December 16, 2006
What type of minds to nurture?
By Mike Baker, Education correspondent, BBC News 13 October 2006
It is the biggest question for teachers and parents: what sort of minds should we be trying to develop in our children?
Is it the traditional educated mind, able to master an academic discipline? Or should we be nurturing the "creating mind", encouraging young people to "think out of the box"?
According to the world-renowned psychologist, Professor Howard Gardner of Harvard University, there are at least five kinds of minds that we should be developing. Gardner has already had a huge influence on educators with his theory of the multiple intelligences that exist among different children. This underpins theories such as "personalised learning" that are rooted in the belief that different children learn best in different ways. This week, in a lecture at the Royal Society of Arts in London, he outlined the five minds that he believes future generations will need if society is to flourish. The lecture was based on a book, Five Minds For the Future, due out next year.
Internet age
When applied to education policy and practice, his theory raises some difficult questions. To oversimplify his thesis, the five minds are characterised as: disciplined, synthesising, creating, respectful, and ethical. The "disciplined mind" covers the conventional approach of developing an ability to master an academic subject, a craft, or a profession as well as, in the other sense of "discipline", the ability to apply oneself to the business of learning.
The "synthesising mind" is the ability to absorb, sift, select, and make sense of the vast and indigestible amounts of data that surround us in the internet age. This could be the most important of the five minds for survival in everyday and working life as we flounder in ever-higher tides of data.
The "creating mind" is Gardner's third category. This is the mind that "forges new ground" and discovers new ways of doing things. This raises the question: "can creativity be taught?" Is creativity inhibited, rather than encouraged, by traditional education with its focus on learning the best of what has been thought and said in the past?
Gardner says he now believes that personality and temperament, not education, are perhaps the most important factors in developing the would-be creator. This is a challenge to teachers who like to think their role is about encouraging creativity.
Policy difficulties
If Gardner is right, it may be counter-productive for schools to try to develop creative minds. Moreover, he argues, the creative mind needs repeatedly to come up against obstacles and to experience failures. Are schools willing to put children, quite deliberately, through the experience of repeated failure?
The fourth category is the "respectful mind". This is about recognising the "otherness" of people different from ourselves and respecting the differences of, for example, traditions, religion, and ethnicity. Schools clearly do believe in developing respectful minds, even though they cannot be measured or included in league table performances. But how easy is it to develop the "respectful mind" if children rarely meet peers from other religions, ethnic groups, or social classes? This is where we start to run into difficult policy issues. Should governments be forcing integration? Should they continue to encourage faith schools when those schools tend to isolate children of one religious and ethnic group from others? If children grow up apart, and are educated apart - as happens in Northern Ireland - how much chance is there of developing respect for each other's religions?
Segregation
In an interesting coincidence, this week also saw a reopening of the debate about ethnic quotas for schools. The head of the Local Government Association, Lord Bruce-Lockhart, said it was unacceptable that non-white pupils should form 90% of the population of one school when white pupils form 90% of another school just down the road. He suggested it might be time to introduce ethnic quotas to school admissions to end this segregation. This follows the decision by the Church of England to take 25% of its intake at all its newly-opened schools from families of other faiths or no faith at all. This issue carries a lot of historical baggage. The practice of bussing pupils from one district to another in the USA, to overcome racial segregation, proved unpopular and problematic. Quotas do not go that far. They are not about trying to overcome the fact that racial and ethnic groups sometimes choose to live apart or are forced apart by housing costs. The concern of Lord Bruce-Lockhart and the Church of England is, more modestly, to ensure that schools better reflect the religious, ethnic and social composition of the neighbourhoods they serve. But by highlighting the importance of the "respectful mind", Gardner raises a challenge to current policies such as the state funding of faith sc
hools and the emphasis on parental choice.
Tricky lesson
Gardner's final category is the "ethical mind". This goes beyond simply respecting others towards actively striving to do good, trying to make the world a better place. The "ethical mind" encourages us to do what is right even when it clashes with self-interest. This is difficult in a highly competitive age. Should a school accept, or retain, pupils whom it knows will damage its results, its truancy record and its league table position?
Moreover, should it do so when it knows that the school down the road is excluding pupils, or framing its admissions policy, to improve its league table standing? In my experience, teachers are very ethical people. Yet we hear more and more cases of teachers, and head teachers, who have cheated in coursework or national tests in order to protect their job or their school's reputation. At a less extreme level, many teachers feel pressured into narrowly drilling pupils for exam success rather than teaching them the broader aspects of subjects. They are therefore putting self-interest, or self-preservation, ahead of what they think is right. Perhaps the lesson of Gardner's lecture is that it is time that more teachers found the confidence to exert their professional sense of what is right and wrong over what they feel external pressures are forcing them to do.
It is the biggest question for teachers and parents: what sort of minds should we be trying to develop in our children?
Is it the traditional educated mind, able to master an academic discipline? Or should we be nurturing the "creating mind", encouraging young people to "think out of the box"?
According to the world-renowned psychologist, Professor Howard Gardner of Harvard University, there are at least five kinds of minds that we should be developing. Gardner has already had a huge influence on educators with his theory of the multiple intelligences that exist among different children. This underpins theories such as "personalised learning" that are rooted in the belief that different children learn best in different ways. This week, in a lecture at the Royal Society of Arts in London, he outlined the five minds that he believes future generations will need if society is to flourish. The lecture was based on a book, Five Minds For the Future, due out next year.
Internet age
When applied to education policy and practice, his theory raises some difficult questions. To oversimplify his thesis, the five minds are characterised as: disciplined, synthesising, creating, respectful, and ethical. The "disciplined mind" covers the conventional approach of developing an ability to master an academic subject, a craft, or a profession as well as, in the other sense of "discipline", the ability to apply oneself to the business of learning.
The "synthesising mind" is the ability to absorb, sift, select, and make sense of the vast and indigestible amounts of data that surround us in the internet age. This could be the most important of the five minds for survival in everyday and working life as we flounder in ever-higher tides of data.
The "creating mind" is Gardner's third category. This is the mind that "forges new ground" and discovers new ways of doing things. This raises the question: "can creativity be taught?" Is creativity inhibited, rather than encouraged, by traditional education with its focus on learning the best of what has been thought and said in the past?
Gardner says he now believes that personality and temperament, not education, are perhaps the most important factors in developing the would-be creator. This is a challenge to teachers who like to think their role is about encouraging creativity.
Policy difficulties
If Gardner is right, it may be counter-productive for schools to try to develop creative minds. Moreover, he argues, the creative mind needs repeatedly to come up against obstacles and to experience failures. Are schools willing to put children, quite deliberately, through the experience of repeated failure?
The fourth category is the "respectful mind". This is about recognising the "otherness" of people different from ourselves and respecting the differences of, for example, traditions, religion, and ethnicity. Schools clearly do believe in developing respectful minds, even though they cannot be measured or included in league table performances. But how easy is it to develop the "respectful mind" if children rarely meet peers from other religions, ethnic groups, or social classes? This is where we start to run into difficult policy issues. Should governments be forcing integration? Should they continue to encourage faith schools when those schools tend to isolate children of one religious and ethnic group from others? If children grow up apart, and are educated apart - as happens in Northern Ireland - how much chance is there of developing respect for each other's religions?
Segregation
In an interesting coincidence, this week also saw a reopening of the debate about ethnic quotas for schools. The head of the Local Government Association, Lord Bruce-Lockhart, said it was unacceptable that non-white pupils should form 90% of the population of one school when white pupils form 90% of another school just down the road. He suggested it might be time to introduce ethnic quotas to school admissions to end this segregation. This follows the decision by the Church of England to take 25% of its intake at all its newly-opened schools from families of other faiths or no faith at all. This issue carries a lot of historical baggage. The practice of bussing pupils from one district to another in the USA, to overcome racial segregation, proved unpopular and problematic. Quotas do not go that far. They are not about trying to overcome the fact that racial and ethnic groups sometimes choose to live apart or are forced apart by housing costs. The concern of Lord Bruce-Lockhart and the Church of England is, more modestly, to ensure that schools better reflect the religious, ethnic and social composition of the neighbourhoods they serve. But by highlighting the importance of the "respectful mind", Gardner raises a challenge to current policies such as the state funding of faith sc
hools and the emphasis on parental choice.
Tricky lesson
Gardner's final category is the "ethical mind". This goes beyond simply respecting others towards actively striving to do good, trying to make the world a better place. The "ethical mind" encourages us to do what is right even when it clashes with self-interest. This is difficult in a highly competitive age. Should a school accept, or retain, pupils whom it knows will damage its results, its truancy record and its league table position?
Moreover, should it do so when it knows that the school down the road is excluding pupils, or framing its admissions policy, to improve its league table standing? In my experience, teachers are very ethical people. Yet we hear more and more cases of teachers, and head teachers, who have cheated in coursework or national tests in order to protect their job or their school's reputation. At a less extreme level, many teachers feel pressured into narrowly drilling pupils for exam success rather than teaching them the broader aspects of subjects. They are therefore putting self-interest, or self-preservation, ahead of what they think is right. Perhaps the lesson of Gardner's lecture is that it is time that more teachers found the confidence to exert their professional sense of what is right and wrong over what they feel external pressures are forcing them to do.
Quotable quotes
I say luck is when an opportunity comes along, and you're prepared for it." --Denzel Washington, actor
Ford’s Nuclear-Powered Concept Cars: An Alternative to Fossil Fuel
Yashpal, Shimla, INDIA Aug 30 2006, 5:33 am GMT
Ford Motor Company during 1950 and 60s conducted experiment with nuclear energy led concept car that was a landmark in the field of style and technology. Being the centre of attraction, these nuclear powered cars were tipping off towards a bright future in America as well as other countries.
Ford Motor Company during 1950 and 60s conducted experiment with nuclear energy led concept car that was a landmark in the field of style and technology. Being the centre of attraction, these nuclear powered cars were tipping off towards a bright future in America as well as other countries.
Nuclear reactors are a good source of atomic energy that is safe and economic. In 1957, moving ahead in this project, Ford Motors Company introduced Ford Nucleon concept car with small atomic fission reactor having dazzling looks, environment friendly (throwing no smoke) features and fuel-efficient.
Definitely, it is going to crack the crisis of fossil fuel and harming no more the atmosphere.
Via: cynical
Friday, December 15, 2006
8 Principles of Innovation
Bob Rosenfeld describes eight principles that underlie the human aspect of innovation:
Innovation starts when people convert problems into ideas.
Innovation needs a system.
Passion is the fuel, and pain is the hidden ingredient.
Co-locating drives effective exchange.
Differences should be leveraged.
The elements of destruction are present at creation.
Soft values drive the organization.
Trust is the means and love the unspoken word.
Innovation starts when people convert problems into ideas.
Innovation needs a system.
Passion is the fuel, and pain is the hidden ingredient.
Co-locating drives effective exchange.
Differences should be leveraged.
The elements of destruction are present at creation.
Soft values drive the organization.
Trust is the means and love the unspoken word.
Australian KTM Ready to Roar on Four Wheels
Is it another success story in the beckoning! The times were different then but what matters is one’s attitude and devotion and if the latter two prevail, the timing factor will assuredly take a back seat. If Bayerische Motoren Werke can transform from a aircraft manufacturer into a famous BMW Motor brand, KTM the Australian Motorcycle manufacturer, has nothing to loose in its bid of releasing its first car, The X-Bow.
KTM was founded in 1934 and it started out as a metal working shop which successfully produced its first motorcycle in 1953 , the speed from those days has picked up as they started the X-Bow venture at the beginning of this year and it will be unveiled to the crowd at the Geneva Auto Show 2007 .To be specific KTM X-Bow is a lightweight track car, which weighs less than 700kg (1400 lbs). It is powered by an Audi 2.0 TFSI engine that is capable of producing 220 hp.
The higher or rather more powerful version produces 300 hp.The X-Bow owes its lightweight to its carbon monocoque and its lightweight chassis sourced from Dallara. It has no roof and no doors, wonder how they will manage in the rain but then ,lets just focus on the ushering technology rather than being harshly critical , probably a trait I will administer using next year, when I fully interpret it after its Geneva opening.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Teacher's PAY rates
I, for one, am sick and tired of those highly paid teachers. Their hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year!
It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do, Baby sit! We can get that for less than minimum wage. That's right! I would give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked, not any silly planning time. That would be $15.00 a day. Each parent should pay $15.00 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.
Now, how many do they teach in a day? Maybe 25?
Then that's 15 x 25 = $375.00 a day.
But remember they only work 200 days a year! I'm not going to pay them for any vacations. Let's see? That's 375 x 200 = $75 000.00. (Hold on, my calculator must need batteries!)
What about those Leading Teachers or the ones with Masters Degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage just to be that fair. Let's round it off to $6.00 an hour. That would be $6.00 times five hours times 25 children times 200 days =$150 000.00 per year.
Wait a minute, there is something wrong here!
THERE SURE IS, HUH?
It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do, Baby sit! We can get that for less than minimum wage. That's right! I would give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked, not any silly planning time. That would be $15.00 a day. Each parent should pay $15.00 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.
Now, how many do they teach in a day? Maybe 25?
Then that's 15 x 25 = $375.00 a day.
But remember they only work 200 days a year! I'm not going to pay them for any vacations. Let's see? That's 375 x 200 = $75 000.00. (Hold on, my calculator must need batteries!)
What about those Leading Teachers or the ones with Masters Degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage just to be that fair. Let's round it off to $6.00 an hour. That would be $6.00 times five hours times 25 children times 200 days =$150 000.00 per year.
Wait a minute, there is something wrong here!
THERE SURE IS, HUH?
Algae to Fuel Future Cars by 2010
In the context of climactic changes and soaring prices per barrel of petroleum, biofuels are now being presented as a renewable energy alternative. Greenfuel Technologies anticipates a profitable privatized business for bioreactors. LiveFuels is a national alliance of labs and scientists dedicated to transforming algae into biocrude by the year 2010.
Algae are a rich source of oil with some of the species accounting to 50% of its mass as oil. The company aims at production of cheap crude oil using this organism. The company believes that it is possible to produce 10,000 gallons of usable hydrocarbons for an acre-size pond a year by feeding special species of algae. The conversion may not be that easy but research work is going on to fulfill the task.
The company may be able to deliver this cheap alternative by 2010. May be in the coming future you may just have to fill your cars with pond scum and get going.
Via: CNet
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Leadership matters
Thirty-five years ago, Bob Rosenfeld was a young, energetic, impatient chemist — brimming with ideas and working at Eastman Kodak. Today, he is a leading authority on innovation, founder of Idea Connection Systems and Innovator in Residence at the Center for Creative Leadership.
Along the way, he founded the first Office of Innovation for Eastman Kodak and worked with numerous organizations to foster the ideas and enthusiasm needed for sustaining innovation. The key to innovation, according to Rosenfeld, is to "make the invisible visible."
Rosenfeld's first foray into intentionally grooming organizational innovation came while working at Eastman Kodak.
He writes in his book, Making the Invisible Visible: The Human Principles for Sustaining Innovation, "I noticed that people at all levels within the company had ideas that could benefit both themselves and the company ... a few of these ideas found a supportive ear, but most of them did not ... I was convinced that if there were some way to infuse these ideas into the organization, they would be of value to the company." Rosenfeld saw that his company wanted ideas, and employees had ideas they wanted to share, but that there were no effective mechanisms to connect individuals' ideas to the larger organization. The barriers to innovation at Eastman Kodak at that time are still common in organizations today:
Lack of language. Organizations don't have effective ways to talk about the innovation process.
Limited scope. Existing innovation processes often encourage small, incremental changes rather than new products, breakthrough ideas or unusual concepts.
Isolation. Departments and groups may be isolated, creating subcultures that are different from the rest of the organization and limiting exchange of ideas and information.
Comfort with the status quo. People are often dependent on the familiar, leaving little room or tolerance for anyone with wildly different ideas and behaviours.
A deficit of trust. Innovation requires structures that are supported by bonds of trust, confidence and respect for those involved.
To address these problems Rosenfeld, along with others at Eastman Kodak, set up the first Office of Innovation. Later, Rosenfeld was asked to help other companies establish similar systems for innovation. Over time, he began to see that the measure of success was tied less to the mechanics of innovation and more to the human dynamic.
"All new products and services come from ideas, and all ideas come from people," says Rosenfeld. "That sounds simple, but it requires innovation leaders to stimulate, motivate and encourage people in specific ways." Another crucial element for innovation is the need for sustained commitment at a high level within the company. "A high-ranking officer needs to understand the difficulties involved and be committed to the ongoing and long-term success of the program," Rosenfeld explains. "Lacking that, it will fail no matter how much compelling evidence is produced to show its value."
Finally, leaders must look beyond the mechanics, techniques and even results of innovation to the underlying — and usually unseen — principles of sustained innovation. "The most important aspects of innovation are not readily apparent," says Rosenfeld. "To become successful, the invisible must be made visible."
Along the way, he founded the first Office of Innovation for Eastman Kodak and worked with numerous organizations to foster the ideas and enthusiasm needed for sustaining innovation. The key to innovation, according to Rosenfeld, is to "make the invisible visible."
Rosenfeld's first foray into intentionally grooming organizational innovation came while working at Eastman Kodak.
He writes in his book, Making the Invisible Visible: The Human Principles for Sustaining Innovation, "I noticed that people at all levels within the company had ideas that could benefit both themselves and the company ... a few of these ideas found a supportive ear, but most of them did not ... I was convinced that if there were some way to infuse these ideas into the organization, they would be of value to the company." Rosenfeld saw that his company wanted ideas, and employees had ideas they wanted to share, but that there were no effective mechanisms to connect individuals' ideas to the larger organization. The barriers to innovation at Eastman Kodak at that time are still common in organizations today:
Lack of language. Organizations don't have effective ways to talk about the innovation process.
Limited scope. Existing innovation processes often encourage small, incremental changes rather than new products, breakthrough ideas or unusual concepts.
Isolation. Departments and groups may be isolated, creating subcultures that are different from the rest of the organization and limiting exchange of ideas and information.
Comfort with the status quo. People are often dependent on the familiar, leaving little room or tolerance for anyone with wildly different ideas and behaviours.
A deficit of trust. Innovation requires structures that are supported by bonds of trust, confidence and respect for those involved.
To address these problems Rosenfeld, along with others at Eastman Kodak, set up the first Office of Innovation. Later, Rosenfeld was asked to help other companies establish similar systems for innovation. Over time, he began to see that the measure of success was tied less to the mechanics of innovation and more to the human dynamic.
"All new products and services come from ideas, and all ideas come from people," says Rosenfeld. "That sounds simple, but it requires innovation leaders to stimulate, motivate and encourage people in specific ways." Another crucial element for innovation is the need for sustained commitment at a high level within the company. "A high-ranking officer needs to understand the difficulties involved and be committed to the ongoing and long-term success of the program," Rosenfeld explains. "Lacking that, it will fail no matter how much compelling evidence is produced to show its value."
Finally, leaders must look beyond the mechanics, techniques and even results of innovation to the underlying — and usually unseen — principles of sustained innovation. "The most important aspects of innovation are not readily apparent," says Rosenfeld. "To become successful, the invisible must be made visible."
1937, and Australia’s first real `tin top’ hits the road
TODAY we take it for granted that our sedans and hatchbacks have a solid steel roof, but of course it wasn’t always the case.
Ford introduced the steel body to passenger cars in Australia in 1935 but the roof was still a fabric section, as the technology for pressing a complete curved steel top wasn’t yet available.
In 1937, however, Ford Australia imported a new hydraulic press which enabled it to press the complete roof in one piece.
Ford’s 1937 Model 78 was the first Australian-built car to have this modern innovation.
The new car also boasted headlights built into the mudguards, similar to those on the luxury Lincoln Zephyr that had been imported for Ford Australia managing director Hubert French.
The new V8 engine used the aluminium heads which were also a feature of the Lincoln, and which boosted its power output to 95 horsepower.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Living for the moment
I had been feeling really tired, and so I began planning a one- week vacation. I became aware of how desperate I was to leave responsibilities behind and simply do nothing for a while. Fortunately, I quickly realized how insane it is to expect one little week that is months away to meet all my needs for freedom, joy, play and relaxation.
Life is only worth living when we experience the gifts of vacations in delicious moments, day in and day out. Qualities like freedom, play and joy do not depend on external conditions. They can be realized any time, if we open to their presence right now.
I’m happy that I will be going on vacation, AND I’m doing more to look after my needs as they arise each day.
"You had better live your best and act your best and think your best today; for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow." -- Harriet Martineau
Life is only worth living when we experience the gifts of vacations in delicious moments, day in and day out. Qualities like freedom, play and joy do not depend on external conditions. They can be realized any time, if we open to their presence right now.
I’m happy that I will be going on vacation, AND I’m doing more to look after my needs as they arise each day.
"You had better live your best and act your best and think your best today; for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow." -- Harriet Martineau
Monday, December 11, 2006
One class, two teachers: is this the way to climb the league tables?
The Independent – London - Published: 02 November 2006
Food for thought both in terms of the technology used and the future of our classrooms and class sizes……
Teachers are working in pairs at one London primary school. Peter Stanford reports on an experiment that has improved results dramatically - and earned plaudits from Ofsted
At the interactive whiteboard, Barry Goulding is only momentarily stumped when one of his year five pupils asks him about the purpose of the pedal on the base of the kettle drum. It's a science lesson but because they are doing sound they've got on to the subject of musical instruments. Meanwhile, away to his right, another group is gathered round Goulding's colleague, Margaret Williams, running through a maths exercise.
Classroom sharing is a familiar enough practice in some primary schools, often to make the best use of older building stock. And team-teaching has long been one answer to the nurturing of pupils with special learning needs. But here, at St Joseph's in west London's Maida Vale, something altogether different is happening. This voluntary-aided primary school has, over the past 15 years, been pioneering a radical educational experiment - the two-teacher system. Instead of 30 per year, they have a one-form intake of around 40 pupils who, from nursery through to year six, have not one but two class teachers.
The results speak for themselves. In June 2005, an Ofsted report described St Joseph's as "outstanding" and drew particular attention to "the very high quality of teaching" provided by its unusual system. This innovation had, the report said, enabled a school where around half the pupils have English as an additional language, and where levels of attainment on entry to the nursery are below the national average, to achieve results that have seen it top league tables for primaries in London and be included in the top 5 per cent of all schools nationwide.
Over recent years there has been, as the headteacher Daniel McDonald relates, a great deal of interest in trying to replicate the St Joseph's experiment, but so far no one else has taken the plunge. "I'm afraid it all comes down to money," explains McDonald, a long-serving, charismatic figure whose leadership won the highest praise from Ofsted. "Whereas most primaries spend between 77 and 80 per cent of their delegated budget on staff, we spend over 90 per cent."
The resulting shortfall in funds available for equipment and other projects is made good by an active parents' association which in the past two years has equipped the school's brand new, state-of-the-art technology suite.
In the mid-1980s, McDonald recalls, his school began to reorganise its budget to employ an extra teacher to float between two year groups to meet new demands in the national curriculum for improved standards in core subjects like English, maths and science. "But because these subjects tended to be done in the mornings, we ended up with two part-time teachers making up that one extra role and it was hard to find staff of the right calibre amongst those prepared only to work part-time."
Instead of abandoning the experiment, however, he decided to push on. "I'd already seen an improvement in standards," he remembers, "and was certain there was more that could be achieved."
With the backing of the governors, he began to introduce the two-teacher system, initially in the juniors, but by 1989 throughout the school. There were additional costs to bear - like extending some of the existing classrooms by relocating toilet blocks. And there were sacrifices to be made by dedicating so much of the budget to staff wages. "But you can have all the interactive whiteboards in the world and they are no good," he says, "without good teachers." St Joseph's has managed both.
How do the staff react to this unusual way of working? Barry Goulding and Margaret Williams have both worked in more orthodox set-ups before. "I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived five years ago," says Goulding. "Obviously they had told me about the system but it's hard to know how it is going to work out until you experience it.
"One of its strengths is simply the fact of having another adult in the classroom with you. It doesn't lessen the responsibility, but it means you can share it. Teaching can be quite an isolated profession. You and a group of children in a room. Here you are constantly observing and learning good practice from your partner."
It is not, McDonald emphasises, a set-up that suits everyone. "Some teachers like to have their own class and run it the way they want," he says. "We're not the place for them. At interview you have to dissuade them." Williams echoes the point. "I think all teachers at some stage in their career need to be alone in a classroom with a class. It's part of growing up as a teacher."
The St Joseph's model involves splitting the class into larger and smaller groups for core subjects. So while Williams, a maths specialist, will take 30 out of the 40, Goulding will take the10 pupils most likely to struggle to keep up with the rest and give them extra attention.
The reverse happens with English. It means that the school does not need to remove children with special needs from the classroom for separate tuition. These can be dealt with in the mainstream. And, at the other end of the spectrum, sometimes it is the higher-achieving children who will make up the small group. "Because you can concentrate special attention on those who might otherwise fall behind," says Goulding, "you can raise the general standard. They are no longer slowing the rest down and with more encouragement can rejoin the main group".
It is one of the benefits of this experiment that appeals to John Bangs, head of education at the National Union of Teachers. "Having two qualified teachers in a class will undoubtedly help those with special learning needs to remain and thrive in the mainstream," he says.
"But although I applaud anything that reduces pupil-to-teacher ratios, one to 20 is still too high. The holy grail, according to all our research, is one to 17. That's when you see a real improvement in standards kick in. And I would also question whether in a group of 10 those pupils who would benefit from individual attention will really get it."
It was the flexibility the system offers, however, that first attracted McDonald. And the stability. If one teacher is called out of class or has administrative work to do, their colleague can take the whole group. Staff absences can be absorbed without recourse to supply. That continuity, McDonald believes, is another factor in raising standards - and in staff retention. St Joseph's enjoys rare stability, with some teaching there continuously for 20 or even 30 years.
The problem for those heads who have visited St Joseph's and been impressed by its example is something of a chicken-and-egg situation. Without evidence of an improvement in standards, parents may not be so willing to dip into their own pockets, but without that money to fill the hole left in the budget by increased staff costs it requires a huge leap of faith to employ new teachers to drive up standards.
Catherine McKeever is interim head of St Joseph's Primary in London's Covent Garden. She has been brought in to tackle poor results at key stage two. "I took two of my staff to the Maida Vale school," she says, "and they were bowled over by the way it worked. We are now trying an experiment here with the two-teacher system in year six three days a week. I'd like to do much more of it, but that is as far as my budget will stretch without the sort of parental support that Mr McDonald has worked to build up." His courage in pursuing his own vision, she feels, is key to the whole experiment.
Are there other downsides? McDonald is the first to acknowledge that the financial balancing act is a constant worry. Two years ago, the local education authority cut budgets - "they never seem to want to reward success," he remarks - and left a £60,000 deficit at St Joseph's. It looked like the system couldn't be maintained. But at a crisis meeting, the parents stepped in and contributed to a special fund which plugged the hole.
It also places an additional burden on McDonald's shoulders to recruit and pair the right teachers to achieve classroom harmony. Sometimes it works, sometimes it is less successful, he admits. And some basic rules have to be observed. Parents coming in for meetings with form teachers must always meet both. And there must be no suggestion that one is senior to the other in the classroom situation. They have to operate as equals.
Goulding and Williams do not talk of negatives but of the compromises that the system can entail alongside its benefits. It can, they say, dampen spontaneity in the classroom. "Barry has been doing some work with play scripts with the big English group this week," says Williams, "and that could easily, if he were on his own, develop into something bigger like an informal staging of a play. But because I'm there with the smaller group, it is harder.
"And it's the same for me. Sometimes I'd like to extend the maths games we do, but you have to be aware of noise and that someone else is trying to do something else in the same room."
However, set against the school's success, these are, they admit, compromises worth making. And it is that success, at a time when all are being encouraged to seek higher standards, that makes the case of St Joseph's both so compelling and so puzzling.
With the government talking of building on successful schools, why hasn't its experiment been copied? If start-up costs are the issue, why not a fund to encourage schools with a big enough catchment area and appropriate buildings to take the plunge? A little encouragement could, on the basis of this example, yield substantial rewards.
At the interactive whiteboard, Barry Goulding is only momentarily stumped when one of his year five pupils asks him about the purpose of the pedal on the base of the kettle drum. It's a science lesson but because they are doing sound they've got on to the subject of musical instruments. Meanwhile, away to his right, another group is gathered round Goulding's colleague, Margaret Williams, running through a maths exercise.
Classroom sharing is a familiar enough practice in some primary schools, often to make the best use of older building stock. And team-teaching has long been one answer to the nurturing of pupils with special learning needs. But here, at St Joseph's in west London's Maida Vale, something altogether different is happening. This voluntary-aided primary school has, over the past 15 years, been pioneering a radical educational experiment - the two-teacher system. Instead of 30 per year, they have a one-form intake of around 40 pupils who, from nursery through to year six, have not one but two class teachers.
The results speak for themselves. In June 2005, an Ofsted report described St Joseph's as "outstanding" and drew particular attention to "the very high quality of teaching" provided by its unusual system. This innovation had, the report said, enabled a school where around half the pupils have English as an additional language, and where levels of attainment on entry to the nursery are below the national average, to achieve results that have seen it top league tables for primaries in London and be included in the top 5 per cent of all schools nationwide.
Over recent years there has been, as the headteacher Daniel McDonald relates, a great deal of interest in trying to replicate the St Joseph's experiment, but so far no one else has taken the plunge. "I'm afraid it all comes down to money," explains McDonald, a long-serving, charismatic figure whose leadership won the highest praise from Ofsted. "Whereas most primaries spend between 77 and 80 per cent of their delegated budget on staff, we spend over 90 per cent." The resulting shortfall in funds available for equipment and other projects is made good by an active parents' association which in the past two years has equipped the school's brand new, state-of-the-art technology suite.
In the mid-1980s, McDonald recalls, his school began to reorganise its budget to employ an extra teacher to float between two year groups to meet new demands in the national curriculum for improved standards in core subjects like English, maths and science. "But because these subjects tended to be done in the mornings, we ended up with two part-time teachers making up that one extra role and it was hard to find staff of the right calibre amongst those prepared only to work part-time."
Instead of abandoning the experiment, however, he decided to push on. "I'd already seen an improvement in standards," he remembers, "and was certain there was more that could be achieved." With the backing of the governors, he began to introduce the two-teacher system, initially in the juniors, but by 1989 throughout the school. There were additional costs to bear - like extending some of the existing classrooms by relocating toilet blocks. And there were sacrifices to be made by dedicating so much of the budget to staff wages. "But you can have all the interactive whiteboards in the world and they are no good," he says, "without good teachers." St Joseph's has managed both.
How do the staff react to this unusual way of working? Barry Goulding and Margaret Williams have both worked in more orthodox set-ups before. "I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived five years ago," says Goulding. "Obviously they had told me about the system but it's hard to know how it is going to work out until you experience it.
"One of its strengths is simply the fact of having another adult in the classroom with you. It doesn't lessen the responsibility, but it means you can share it. Teaching can be quite an isolated profession. You and a group of children in a room. Here you are constantly observing and learning good practice from your partner."
It is not, McDonald emphasises, a set-up that suits everyone. "Some teachers like to have their own class and run it the way they want," he says. "We're not the place for them. At interview you have to dissuade them." Williams echoes the point. "I think all teachers at some stage in their career need to be alone in a classroom with a class. It's part of growing up as a teacher."
The St Joseph's model involves splitting the class into larger and smaller groups for core subjects. So while Williams, a maths specialist, will take 30 out of the 40, Goulding will take the10 pupils most likely to struggle to keep up with the rest and give them extra attention.
The reverse happens with English. It means that the school does not need to remove children with special needs from the classroom for separate tuition. These can be dealt with in the mainstream. And, at the other end of the spectrum, sometimes it is the higher-achieving children who will make up the small group. "Because you can concentrate special attention on those who might otherwise fall behind," says Goulding, "you can raise the general standard. They are no longer slowing the rest down and with more encouragement can rejoin the main group".
Food for thought both in terms of the technology used and the future of our classrooms and class sizes……
Teachers are working in pairs at one London primary school. Peter Stanford reports on an experiment that has improved results dramatically - and earned plaudits from Ofsted
At the interactive whiteboard, Barry Goulding is only momentarily stumped when one of his year five pupils asks him about the purpose of the pedal on the base of the kettle drum. It's a science lesson but because they are doing sound they've got on to the subject of musical instruments. Meanwhile, away to his right, another group is gathered round Goulding's colleague, Margaret Williams, running through a maths exercise.
Classroom sharing is a familiar enough practice in some primary schools, often to make the best use of older building stock. And team-teaching has long been one answer to the nurturing of pupils with special learning needs. But here, at St Joseph's in west London's Maida Vale, something altogether different is happening. This voluntary-aided primary school has, over the past 15 years, been pioneering a radical educational experiment - the two-teacher system. Instead of 30 per year, they have a one-form intake of around 40 pupils who, from nursery through to year six, have not one but two class teachers.
The results speak for themselves. In June 2005, an Ofsted report described St Joseph's as "outstanding" and drew particular attention to "the very high quality of teaching" provided by its unusual system. This innovation had, the report said, enabled a school where around half the pupils have English as an additional language, and where levels of attainment on entry to the nursery are below the national average, to achieve results that have seen it top league tables for primaries in London and be included in the top 5 per cent of all schools nationwide.
Over recent years there has been, as the headteacher Daniel McDonald relates, a great deal of interest in trying to replicate the St Joseph's experiment, but so far no one else has taken the plunge. "I'm afraid it all comes down to money," explains McDonald, a long-serving, charismatic figure whose leadership won the highest praise from Ofsted. "Whereas most primaries spend between 77 and 80 per cent of their delegated budget on staff, we spend over 90 per cent."
The resulting shortfall in funds available for equipment and other projects is made good by an active parents' association which in the past two years has equipped the school's brand new, state-of-the-art technology suite.
In the mid-1980s, McDonald recalls, his school began to reorganise its budget to employ an extra teacher to float between two year groups to meet new demands in the national curriculum for improved standards in core subjects like English, maths and science. "But because these subjects tended to be done in the mornings, we ended up with two part-time teachers making up that one extra role and it was hard to find staff of the right calibre amongst those prepared only to work part-time."
Instead of abandoning the experiment, however, he decided to push on. "I'd already seen an improvement in standards," he remembers, "and was certain there was more that could be achieved."
With the backing of the governors, he began to introduce the two-teacher system, initially in the juniors, but by 1989 throughout the school. There were additional costs to bear - like extending some of the existing classrooms by relocating toilet blocks. And there were sacrifices to be made by dedicating so much of the budget to staff wages. "But you can have all the interactive whiteboards in the world and they are no good," he says, "without good teachers." St Joseph's has managed both.
How do the staff react to this unusual way of working? Barry Goulding and Margaret Williams have both worked in more orthodox set-ups before. "I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived five years ago," says Goulding. "Obviously they had told me about the system but it's hard to know how it is going to work out until you experience it.
"One of its strengths is simply the fact of having another adult in the classroom with you. It doesn't lessen the responsibility, but it means you can share it. Teaching can be quite an isolated profession. You and a group of children in a room. Here you are constantly observing and learning good practice from your partner."
It is not, McDonald emphasises, a set-up that suits everyone. "Some teachers like to have their own class and run it the way they want," he says. "We're not the place for them. At interview you have to dissuade them." Williams echoes the point. "I think all teachers at some stage in their career need to be alone in a classroom with a class. It's part of growing up as a teacher."
The St Joseph's model involves splitting the class into larger and smaller groups for core subjects. So while Williams, a maths specialist, will take 30 out of the 40, Goulding will take the10 pupils most likely to struggle to keep up with the rest and give them extra attention.
The reverse happens with English. It means that the school does not need to remove children with special needs from the classroom for separate tuition. These can be dealt with in the mainstream. And, at the other end of the spectrum, sometimes it is the higher-achieving children who will make up the small group. "Because you can concentrate special attention on those who might otherwise fall behind," says Goulding, "you can raise the general standard. They are no longer slowing the rest down and with more encouragement can rejoin the main group".
It is one of the benefits of this experiment that appeals to John Bangs, head of education at the National Union of Teachers. "Having two qualified teachers in a class will undoubtedly help those with special learning needs to remain and thrive in the mainstream," he says.
"But although I applaud anything that reduces pupil-to-teacher ratios, one to 20 is still too high. The holy grail, according to all our research, is one to 17. That's when you see a real improvement in standards kick in. And I would also question whether in a group of 10 those pupils who would benefit from individual attention will really get it."
It was the flexibility the system offers, however, that first attracted McDonald. And the stability. If one teacher is called out of class or has administrative work to do, their colleague can take the whole group. Staff absences can be absorbed without recourse to supply. That continuity, McDonald believes, is another factor in raising standards - and in staff retention. St Joseph's enjoys rare stability, with some teaching there continuously for 20 or even 30 years.
The problem for those heads who have visited St Joseph's and been impressed by its example is something of a chicken-and-egg situation. Without evidence of an improvement in standards, parents may not be so willing to dip into their own pockets, but without that money to fill the hole left in the budget by increased staff costs it requires a huge leap of faith to employ new teachers to drive up standards.
Catherine McKeever is interim head of St Joseph's Primary in London's Covent Garden. She has been brought in to tackle poor results at key stage two. "I took two of my staff to the Maida Vale school," she says, "and they were bowled over by the way it worked. We are now trying an experiment here with the two-teacher system in year six three days a week. I'd like to do much more of it, but that is as far as my budget will stretch without the sort of parental support that Mr McDonald has worked to build up." His courage in pursuing his own vision, she feels, is key to the whole experiment.
Are there other downsides? McDonald is the first to acknowledge that the financial balancing act is a constant worry. Two years ago, the local education authority cut budgets - "they never seem to want to reward success," he remarks - and left a £60,000 deficit at St Joseph's. It looked like the system couldn't be maintained. But at a crisis meeting, the parents stepped in and contributed to a special fund which plugged the hole.
It also places an additional burden on McDonald's shoulders to recruit and pair the right teachers to achieve classroom harmony. Sometimes it works, sometimes it is less successful, he admits. And some basic rules have to be observed. Parents coming in for meetings with form teachers must always meet both. And there must be no suggestion that one is senior to the other in the classroom situation. They have to operate as equals.
Goulding and Williams do not talk of negatives but of the compromises that the system can entail alongside its benefits. It can, they say, dampen spontaneity in the classroom. "Barry has been doing some work with play scripts with the big English group this week," says Williams, "and that could easily, if he were on his own, develop into something bigger like an informal staging of a play. But because I'm there with the smaller group, it is harder.
"And it's the same for me. Sometimes I'd like to extend the maths games we do, but you have to be aware of noise and that someone else is trying to do something else in the same room."
However, set against the school's success, these are, they admit, compromises worth making. And it is that success, at a time when all are being encouraged to seek higher standards, that makes the case of St Joseph's both so compelling and so puzzling.
With the government talking of building on successful schools, why hasn't its experiment been copied? If start-up costs are the issue, why not a fund to encourage schools with a big enough catchment area and appropriate buildings to take the plunge? A little encouragement could, on the basis of this example, yield substantial rewards.
At the interactive whiteboard, Barry Goulding is only momentarily stumped when one of his year five pupils asks him about the purpose of the pedal on the base of the kettle drum. It's a science lesson but because they are doing sound they've got on to the subject of musical instruments. Meanwhile, away to his right, another group is gathered round Goulding's colleague, Margaret Williams, running through a maths exercise.
Classroom sharing is a familiar enough practice in some primary schools, often to make the best use of older building stock. And team-teaching has long been one answer to the nurturing of pupils with special learning needs. But here, at St Joseph's in west London's Maida Vale, something altogether different is happening. This voluntary-aided primary school has, over the past 15 years, been pioneering a radical educational experiment - the two-teacher system. Instead of 30 per year, they have a one-form intake of around 40 pupils who, from nursery through to year six, have not one but two class teachers.
The results speak for themselves. In June 2005, an Ofsted report described St Joseph's as "outstanding" and drew particular attention to "the very high quality of teaching" provided by its unusual system. This innovation had, the report said, enabled a school where around half the pupils have English as an additional language, and where levels of attainment on entry to the nursery are below the national average, to achieve results that have seen it top league tables for primaries in London and be included in the top 5 per cent of all schools nationwide.
Over recent years there has been, as the headteacher Daniel McDonald relates, a great deal of interest in trying to replicate the St Joseph's experiment, but so far no one else has taken the plunge. "I'm afraid it all comes down to money," explains McDonald, a long-serving, charismatic figure whose leadership won the highest praise from Ofsted. "Whereas most primaries spend between 77 and 80 per cent of their delegated budget on staff, we spend over 90 per cent." The resulting shortfall in funds available for equipment and other projects is made good by an active parents' association which in the past two years has equipped the school's brand new, state-of-the-art technology suite.
In the mid-1980s, McDonald recalls, his school began to reorganise its budget to employ an extra teacher to float between two year groups to meet new demands in the national curriculum for improved standards in core subjects like English, maths and science. "But because these subjects tended to be done in the mornings, we ended up with two part-time teachers making up that one extra role and it was hard to find staff of the right calibre amongst those prepared only to work part-time."
Instead of abandoning the experiment, however, he decided to push on. "I'd already seen an improvement in standards," he remembers, "and was certain there was more that could be achieved." With the backing of the governors, he began to introduce the two-teacher system, initially in the juniors, but by 1989 throughout the school. There were additional costs to bear - like extending some of the existing classrooms by relocating toilet blocks. And there were sacrifices to be made by dedicating so much of the budget to staff wages. "But you can have all the interactive whiteboards in the world and they are no good," he says, "without good teachers." St Joseph's has managed both.
How do the staff react to this unusual way of working? Barry Goulding and Margaret Williams have both worked in more orthodox set-ups before. "I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived five years ago," says Goulding. "Obviously they had told me about the system but it's hard to know how it is going to work out until you experience it.
"One of its strengths is simply the fact of having another adult in the classroom with you. It doesn't lessen the responsibility, but it means you can share it. Teaching can be quite an isolated profession. You and a group of children in a room. Here you are constantly observing and learning good practice from your partner."
It is not, McDonald emphasises, a set-up that suits everyone. "Some teachers like to have their own class and run it the way they want," he says. "We're not the place for them. At interview you have to dissuade them." Williams echoes the point. "I think all teachers at some stage in their career need to be alone in a classroom with a class. It's part of growing up as a teacher."
The St Joseph's model involves splitting the class into larger and smaller groups for core subjects. So while Williams, a maths specialist, will take 30 out of the 40, Goulding will take the10 pupils most likely to struggle to keep up with the rest and give them extra attention.
The reverse happens with English. It means that the school does not need to remove children with special needs from the classroom for separate tuition. These can be dealt with in the mainstream. And, at the other end of the spectrum, sometimes it is the higher-achieving children who will make up the small group. "Because you can concentrate special attention on those who might otherwise fall behind," says Goulding, "you can raise the general standard. They are no longer slowing the rest down and with more encouragement can rejoin the main group".
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